


I Fell In Love With A Stranger

by euphoricmistakes101



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: F/M, Love, M/M, Malec AU, Malec Week 2018, Shadowhunters AU Mondays, Shadowhunters Writing Challenge, Strangers, shadowhunters au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-01
Updated: 2018-04-12
Packaged: 2019-02-26 05:26:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 23,416
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13229004
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/euphoricmistakes101/pseuds/euphoricmistakes101
Summary: Malec AUMagnus Bane and Alexander Lightwood, two strangers oblivious about the existence of the other, happen to fall in love with each other.AU where they fall in love with strangers.





	1. Lost on the Street

 

The winds were howling and the trees were swaying as Magnus Bane walked across the 48th St. of Manhattan, New York City. It was the 25th of December and Magnus was feeling anything but happiness and joy. There was no Santa Claus to give him presents or miracles, which he was in dire need of, no family to celebrate with, no friends to party with. He had spent a strenuous day in his office and wanted to come home to a loving girlfriend, but he should have known that nothing could go according to his wishes.

 

Four years ago, Magnus graduated from college with a degree in Marketing and Fashion. He started his own fashion company called Bane Enterprises. Despite hurdles in the first two years, Bane enterprises rose to every challenge and succeeded in winning the hearts of people with its true dedication to its work and motto - _You are our family._ Bane enterprises became known for its quality of fabric, variety of designs, different types of clothing, and, most importantly, attention to its customers. Magnus Bane, the CEO of the company, became known for interacting with his customers and taking their suggestions and comments in stride and appreciation.

It was simple - the public was in love with Magnus Bane and his clothes.

 

Two years ago Magnus met the woman of his life, Camille, and wanted nothing more than to spend the rest of his life with her. He catered to all her needs and wishes - he had bought her a home, a car, jewellery, and he had given her his heart. He believed that he had met his soulmate. Her eyes, that sparkled every time he gave her a gift, her smile, that lit up the entire room, were only one of the few reasons that he fell in love with her. He showered her with presents and love, but he failed to see that his love was unrequited.

 

He was a millionaire and she knew that. If he had opened his eyes, he would have seen the signs. His friends, Ragnor and Catarina, had warned him multiple times to stay away from her but he had not heeded their warning. Camille mistreated his best friends, spent his money carelessly, and disregarded his work and customers, but he turned a blind eye to all - he was, after all, in love. He could still remember the time he met her for the first time.

 

_It had been a rough day at work and he had gone to a quiet restaurant to celebrate surviving the day. He had been sitting alone, enjoying a peaceful meal when a woman came and stood beside his table. Expecting to see the waitress, Magnus looked up ready to ask for the bill when he saw the face of the most beautiful person in the world._

_“Hi,” Magnus stammered._

_“Hi, Magnus,” Camille winked at him._

_Surprised, Magnus asked, “You know who I am?” Camille laughed at him and it was the most beautiful sound he had ever heard in his entire life._

_“Of course I know who you are. Who doesn’t?” she was trailing her fingers over Magnus’ hand. “Why is a famous entrepreneur sitting alone on a wonderful day like this?” she asked, feigning sympathy._

_Magnus decided that he needed to stop stuttering like an idiot and take the charge. “A tiring day and a lot of old people in gray suits,” Magnus winked and grabbed her hands. “Want to join?”_

_“How about we go somewhere else?” Camille made to stand up and pulled Magnus along with her._

 

Earlier that day, Magnus had gone to the office expecting a minor error in finances. However, when he reached his office, he was handed a document by a lawyer of an anonymous client.

 

_“Mr. Magnus Bane, from this point forward, this company is no more yours and is owned by my client.”_

 

_Surprised, Magnus took a moment to understand the situation. He threw back his head and laughed, “Is this some kind of sick joke?” he took a step forward. “A Christmas joke?”_

 

_“No, Mr. Bane. Your company is now in my client’s name,” the lawyer moved aside to sit on the couch placed at the edge of the room. “Please have a look at the document. That is your signature, is it not?” the lawyer._

 

_Indeed, the signature was his but Magnus had no idea how it got there. He could not remember signing a document that gave away his rights to HIS company._

 

_“Who is your client?” Magnus asked feeling his rage takeover._

 

_“Anonymous.”_

 

_Magnus took a step forward and growled,“Well, tell him that I will ruin him when I find out who he is.”_

 

_The lawyer chuckled, “What makes you think that it’s a ‘him’?” He stood up and took a step towards Magnus, “My client also would like to give you a message.”_

 

_“What?” Magnus could not help but be slightly curious._

 

_The lawyer handed him his phone and said, “Hit the play button.” Magnus did._

 

_“Hi sweetie,” Magnus gasped. “I am guessing you already know who I am. Bane enterprises is now mine. You might be wondering how this happened. Remember a week ago when I handed you some documents saying that your assistant gave it to me? Well, you had just signed your company over to me.” Magnus couldn’t help the tear that rolled down his cheek. “I am sorry that it had to happen this way but you are such an innocent person! Anyone else would have guessed that this was going to happen, like your friends did. Also, sweetheart, don’t bother coming back home. That’s not yours either. I put some money in your wallet before you left, so book a hotel room for yourself. Love you, baby.”_

_Magnus broke down._

 

_He fell on his knees and cried. The lawyer could not help but stare at him with pity._

 

_“I am sorry that this happened to you, but just so you know, this was her plan all along since the day she met you.”_

 

_He handed Magnus a file._

 

 _“These are all the legal documents and an envelope. Take that envelope as a gift and use it at the right time._ ”

 

Now, as Magnus walked the streets alone, drenched from head to toe with no shoulder to cry on, he could not help but regret every action since the day he met Camille. He had lost his best friends, his dignity, his company because of that woman.

 

So here Magnus was, walking down an empty street all alone with an envelope in his pocket that he had not bothered opening. _Another ploy by Camille._ He could hear people laughing in their homes and their cheers when they opened their gifts, and he could not help but feel jealous - he had planned to do that with Camille.

 

As Magnus reached the end of the 48th street, he could not help but stare at the window of one particular house. The curtains were black styled with different coloured polka dots that looked like they had been painted to add some colour. He could see the silhouettes of two people hitting each other, one seemed to be a girl with long hair and the other a rather well-built guy. As Magnus stared at the two people playing around, a third person came between them.

 _He is tall_.

 

By looking at his posture and hand movements, it was clear to Magnus that the ‘tall-and-handsome,’ which might as well be his nickname, was a man to be taken seriously and not to be messed with. Shaking his head, Magnus watched as the three people moved away from the window and continued his walk in the hope that someone would join him in his walk down the road ofmisery.

Suddenly, a paper came fluttering in front of him drenched with the downpour of rain. Magnus bent to pick it up and noticed that it was a note.

He opened it and read -

 

_For the stranger walking on the street,_

 

_He kept moving forward as the wind pressed against him and his life seemed to fall apart. It was the hope that resided within him that gave him the courage to not look back, rather forward. He had faced the worst but he knew that life was going to be hard and difficult, but he had to keep moving._

_He turned around and smiled because all he saw was the past that he had left behind and a future that awaited him. He smiled because he had a future to build, a future to create, a future that was all his and his to make._

_\- A.L. (Just another stranger)._

 

 

So, as Magnus read this for the third time, he turned around and looked at ‘stranger,’ who seemed to have turned away from the window,

He smiled. So, _I fell in love with a stranger._


	2. Lost in Family

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Introducing Alexander Lightwood

It was Christmas and, simply put, Alec was not happy.

 

Alexander Lightwood, the eldest of three siblings and a struggling writer, wanted to lock himself in his apartment and read a his favorite book with a mug of steaming hot coffee. He could hear the roar of the wind and see the swaying of trees, and it comforted him to know that at least he had a roof over his head after all that had happened in the past year.

 

Alexander, or Alec as he likes to be called, had been a closeted homosexual man up until a few months. He was the eldest child of Maryse and Robert Lightwood, the reputed owners of the Lightwood Enterprises, and boy, did he have to pay for that!

 

Alec grew up with the weight of the company on his shoulders - he was taught to impress, taught to obey, taught to listen, and taught to not question his parents. Maryse and Robert Lightwood had always acted more as business partners than as husband and wife. Their business was their priority, not their family, and so Alec had also grown up with the weight of his family on his shoulders. He loved his two siblings - Isabelle and Max Lightwood - and knew that he would do anything to keep them safe and happy, away from the pressures of being a Lightwood child.

 

Forced to follow his parent’s dreams, Alec never got the chance to follow his passions. As a teenager, Alec spent his days after school locked in his room writing. Writing made him feel calm and provided a source of comfort among the pressures of being the first-born Lightwood child. His parents expected him to get the highest scores, win every competition, and date the hottest girl in school when he wanted to scream to the world that he was gay and lock himself in his room with a notebook and pencil. However, when he did tell the truth about his sexuality to his parents, at the young age of 17, he was threatened, bullied, and rejected by his own parents. Threatened that he would never be allowed to see his siblings, bullied into behaving and acting straight, and rejected because he did not “adhere” to the laws of nature.

 

Till the age of 24 Alec put a lock on the truth determined to hide it from his siblings, cover the truth of the cruelty their parents had inflicted on him, and provide them a childhood that he never had. Alec hadobeyed all their orders and fulfilled all their wishes, even if it made him feel trapped in his own body. It were his siblings and best friend, Jace, that made him realize the pain he was inflicting on himself for two unworthy people; despite their torture, there was a part of Alec that wished for their approval, begged them to be proud of the man he had grown into.

 

On the 24th of December, 2016, Alec came home from the office to angry parents and furious siblings.

 

_“Alexander Lightwood!” was the first thing Alec heard when he entered his house._

 

_“Mom?” he queried wondering why she sounded so furious._

 

_“Don’t call me that! If you considered me your mother, you would never have told your siblings about your disgusting life choices.”_

 

_“What are you talking about?” Alec couldn’t help but feel hurt when he realized that his parents still refused to accept him. He looked at his father for some support or clarity but Robert took a step back and cast his eyes down._

 

_“How do Izzy and Max know that you are,” she winced as if saying the word physically hurt her, “abnormal?”_

 

_Izzy rushed in front of Alec to defend her older brother._

 

_“He is not abnormal, Mom!” she shrieked. “He is your son. Your eldest child. Our elder brother. He is not abnormal. He is gay but that does not make him abnormal.”_

 

_Max rushed to Alec’s side and held his brother’s hand for comfort. “Izzy is right, Mom. Alec is our brother and his sexual orientation does not change a thing.”_

 

_Alec could not help the tears that rolled down his cheeks. He had tried for years to hide the truth from his siblings in fear of disgust and contempt, but now, he felt relieved at their blatant acceptance. Night and day he had fought the urge to tell Izzy that he was gay and wanted her support; night and day he had fought the urge to tell Max the truth when he looked at his elder brother with pride and admiration but he did not have the strength to lose his younger siblings’ love._

 

_As he looked at his siblings, their fierce love for him visible in his eyes, Alec knew that it was time to stand up for himself._

 

_He locked gaze with his mother and refused to look down, as he had often. “Mother,” he whispered. A word that pure for a woman like Maryse Lightwood was wrong. He took a step forward._

 

_“You are no mother.” He declared as he let his words go free for the first time in his life. “You are no mother. Not to me. Not to Izzy. Not to Max. You are a selfish woman who only cares about her reputation and money.” Tears had started to fall down his face but he rubbed them fiercely away._

 

_Furious at his words, Maryse raised a hand to strike Alec but was stopped by an arm grabbing hers. Jace stood beside Alec with a tight grip on Maryse Lightwood’s arm. His expression of pure anger and hatred was enough to make Maryse drop her hand and take a step back. No one had realized when Jace had entered the house and had stood at the entrance of the dining room._

 

_“Don’t you ever lay your hands on Alec ever again,” Jace whispered vehemently. “He is the only reason your other two children have not left this house or given up on you.”_

 

_“Jace,” Alec whispered as more tears escaped his eyes. Alec was not sure what he wanted - perhaps for Jace to step down or to finally stand up to his devilish mother. Either way, Alec knew he was relieved to have his best friend by his side._

 

_“No Alec,” Jace turned to look at Alec. “This woman has tortured you for your entire life. She has forced you to hide yourself in the shadows of her expectations and to follow her every command like a dog. For god’s sake,” Jace raised his arms in exasperation. “You are her son, not her lapdog!”_

 

_When Jace turned back to Maryse, Robert stood protectively in front of Maryse._

 

_Jace laughed hysterically while pointing at Robert._

 

_“Are you kidding me?” he laughed out. Even Alec and Izzy chuckled at the irony of their father’s action. “You are trying to protect_ her? _You don’t have the guts to protect your children from her torment! What are you trying to protect her from?”_

 

_Jace took a step forward so that he was inches from Robert’s face._

 

_“You were never a good father. You are a lapdog to your wife who does whatever she wants. Do not try to act strong by trying to protect the woman who has tormented your child since birth.”_

 

_“Jace!” Robert said with astonishment. “How dare you speak like that? You have no business in this matter. You are not family.”_

 

_Alec was furious with Robert’s statement. Jace was his best friend, his supporter, his well-wisher; Jace was his brother. He was family more than Maryse and Robert Lightwood ever had been. Jace had stood by Alec’s side when his parents insulted him. Jace was the person he went to when he could not stop his tears and needed a place to hide from his parents and siblings._

 

_Alec stepped forward. “How dare you?” He challenged his father as he stood mere inches away from him, looking down at him. “How dare you say that Jace is not family? He is family more than you ever have been. He is the one who helped me through these years. He is the one who comforted me when you tortured me. So” he took a step forward as Robert took one back. “Jace.” One more step. “Is.” One more step. “Family.”_

 

_Maryse stepped forward to retort but was stopped by Izzy’s glare. Alec watched as Maryse backed down underneath the hatred in Izzy’s eyes._

 

_“And you, Mother,” Alec said with contempt. “You claim to care about me, right?” he questioned. “So tell me, where were you, my mother, when Maryse Lightwood, the businesswoman, was torturing me for being myself? Where were_ you _, my mother, when Maryse Lightwood shunned me for being ‘different’?”_

 

_“I-I,” Maryse stammered but Alec could not stop his words anymore. Years of torment and sadness were flowing out of his mouth. Yet as he looked at his parents, he knew that none of those words would mean anything to them. It would not change anything - they would continue thinking of him as a disgrace and abomination to nature. So he decided to end this conversation forever._

 

_“I am done,” he whispered as he took a step back._

 

_“What?” Maryse and Robert demanded. Izzy, Max, and Jace came to stand beside Alec as they grinned with support._

 

_“I said I am done. I am leaving. I am leaving this hellhole and I am taking Izzy and Max with me,” he stated._

 

_“You can’t take Max with you,” Maryse stated with glee. “Your father and I have his custody and you’ll never be able to take his custody. You have no career and no house. You depend on us, Alec.”_

 

 

_“Not anymore. I have been saving money in my personal account and can rent an apartment with it. I will find a job and earn a living with it. I will finally do what I want to do and be who I want to be.” Alec took a hold of Izzy’s hand and reached for Max who took a step back._

 

_Alec looked at his younger brother afraid that his worst nightmares had become reality. However, Max looked at his elder brother with nothing but pride and joy. He spoke, his voice confident and peaceful, “It’s okay, Alec. I’ll live with them. They won’t do anything to me and they are paying for my school, so it’s easier.” As Max hugged Alec, he whispered, “I’ll come visit. Message me your address.”_

 

_Alec kissed his brother’s head and nodded at him._

 

_With that, Alexander and Isabelle Lightwood and Jace Herondale walked out of the Lightwood mansion forever._

 

Now, as he looked around his apartment, he could not help but grin. They had all come a long way since last year. In the past year, he had written short stories and poems to earn and Izzy was working as a waitress in the café down the street. Despite struggling for the most part of the past year, Alec had never felt happier. He was free to be himself and do whatever his heart pleased without being judged, stopped, or criticised.

 

He wanted to celebrate his first Christmas in his apartment with his family and best friend so he had called Jace over and Max had sneaked past his parents, who had gone for a dinner. However, two minutes ago, he had received a call that had ruined his mood and, effectively, his Christmas.

 

_“Is this Mr. Alexander Lightwood?”_

 

_Alec answered, “Uh-yes. Speaking.”_

 

_“I read your online application regarding a position as a junior writer in our company.” Alec held his breath. “I am sorry but we have to reject your application.”_

 

_Alec could feel his stomach drop and disappointment spread through his body. “Oh.”_

 

_“Please, do not take this negatively. Your skills our commendable and we did not want to demean your talents by offering such a low position. However, we do not have a higher post available to offer you.”_

 

_Alec answered urgently, “But I do not need a higher post. I can do the work required for this job as well!”_

 

_“We are sure you can, Mr. Lightwood. However, we cannot offer such a low position to a person with your skills. I apologize. Merry Christmas.”_

 

The call cut.

 

“Alec…”

 

Alec turned to see Izzy staring at him with concern.

 

“What happened, Alec?” Izzy touched his arm to comfort him. “Did you not get the job?”

 

Alec simply shook his head.

 

Jace appeared beside Alec. “Dude, a new year is about to start. Don’t let this upset you. You’ll find another job, there is no limit.”

 

Alec smiled at Jace and looked at Izzy. “He is right, big brother. There is no limit,” she hugged him. “There is no limit to jobs. There is no limit to your strength, so just keep trying.”

 

“Come on. Max is waiting to cut the cake,” Jace urged them towards the table beside the window where Max was waiting for them.

 

Alec walked to the side of the window pulling Max with him. “Hey buddy. How you doing?”

 

Max smiled. “Alec, stop worrying about me. Mom and dad have been fine. In fact,” he leaned to whisper in Alec’s ear. “I think they are drowning in work without you.”

 

Alec laughed out loud. “Guess they deserve that, don’t you?”

 

Max nodded in agreement. ‘They don’t deserve your kindness or smartness, Alec.I was and will always be proud of you for standing up to them.”

 

Alec smiled but before he could move to reply, an argument broke out between Jace and Izzy regarding who will cut the cake. To put a stop to their useless hand fight, Alec stepped in between and declared that Max will cut the cake. As Max cut the cake, Alec peeked outside the window and saw a man standing alone, drenched and shivering, on the sidewalk.

 

_Perhaps I am not the only one with a bad Christmas._

 

He walked over to the table and wrote a simple note for the stranger on the street.

 

_For the stranger walking on the street,_

 

_He kept moving forward as the wind pressed against him and his life seemed to fall apart. It was the hope that resided within him that gave him the courage to not look back, rather forward. He had faced the worst but he knew that life was going to be hard and difficult, but he had to keep moving._

_He turned around and smiled because all he saw was the past that he had left behind and a future that awaited him. He smiled because he had a future to build, a future to create, a future that was all his and his to change._

_\- A.L. (Just another stranger)._

 

As he let the note flutter out of his window, Alec could only hope that it reached the stranger. The stranger’s sadness and loneliness reached out to him making Alec want to walk out of his house and comfort him.

 

“Alec, come here!” Max screamed.

 

Alec turned away from the window to see his family looking elated with gifts in their hands; and he knew, he knew that the rejection did not matter as long as he was with his family and they were happy. With them, he would be able to do anything.

 

With a last glance at the window, he saw the stranger lift his head and smile.

 

_And maybe, just maybe, I fell in love with a stranger._


	3. Found in the Library

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Months pass by and they still think of each other.

_Six months later…_

 

“Ragnor, come on! Let’s go out. I am bored.”

 

“Of course you are bored! Useful stuff always seems boring to you.”

 

Catarina stepped between the two friends. “Guys,” she addressed the two with her arms raised to keep them away from each other. “Calm down. Ragnor, we have been listening to your lecture regarding the history of America for the past hour. I believe we deserve a break.” She looked to her right. “Magnus, we can go out but we are not going out to your club. It’s too loud and noisy.”

 

Magnus sighed, rejected. “Fine. How about we go to the museum of books that the two of you like?”

 

Ragnor snorted while Catarina shook her head in amusement.

 

“It’s called a library, you fool.”

 

Magnus stood up picking his jacket up and shrugged at Ragnor. “Whatever. You want to come or not, old man?”

 

Ragnor opened his mouth for a snarky reply but Catarina held his arm and pulled him up. “Enough with the bickering. We are going.”

 

* * *

 

 

As Ragnor, Catarina, and Magnus sit at a table, people could not help but stare at the trio as they passed by. Ragnor had taken a book regarding American history and was too concentrated to notice the stares. Catarina, who had become accustomed to stares directed towards her because of her choice of makeup - all of which were blue - could not help but wonder why Magnus seemed so tense.

 

Thinking about it, Catarina could never remember a single instance, in the 20 years that she had known Magnus, where he would willingly choose to go to a library over his club. As Catarina glanced at Magnus, she noticed that he was fiddling with his rings. _A clear sign that he is anxious._ She wondered if she should ask what he was worried about but knew that he would not tell her now if he hadn’t before. She would just have to wait for him to talk about what was happening.

 

As Catarina chose to focus her attention on the book regarding medical practices in the 17th century, Magnus continued to fiddle with his rings and tap his foot nervously against the floor. The library was quiet with the occasional whispering and sounds of chairs moving. Magnus knew that people were staring at them because of Catarina’s makeup style and his clothing but he could not be bothered. As he stared at his phone waiting for a message from _her,_ Magnus could not help but think about how much had changed in the past six months.

 

He could remember the day when he had lost everything - from his friends to his company, Magnus was left all alone on the street on Christmas with nothing to look forward to. Yet he had found hope that day in a simple piece of parchment written to him by _his_ stranger. _His_ saviour. With that hope, faith, and belief, Magnus had gone on to create a life for himself with his friends.

 

He could clearly remember the time when he thought all had been lost but his stranger had reminded him that anything was possible.

 

_When he reached the hotel, the receptionist immediately recognized him and ordered people to carry his luggage to his room while requesting Magnus to follow him to clear some information._

 

_“Mr. Bane, how long will you be staying here?”_

 

_Magnus who felt numbness taking over his body - either from the cold or betrayal, he did not know - started shivering. “I do not know,” he whimpered out loud._

 

_The receptionist, seeing that Magnus was in no state to talk, handed him his room card. “Sir, this is your room card. It is on the second floor. I will escort you to your room.”_

 

_Magnus nodded his head and followed after the man. After what seemed like an eternity, the receptionist stopped in front of a room, slid the card in a slot, and opened the door for Magnus._

 

_“Your luggage is inside. I hope your stay is comfortable.”_

 

_As he headed inside, Magnus stopped to ask the receptionist, “How long can I stay here? How much did,” he flinched at the word he was about to say, “Camille pay?”_

 

_Hesitantly, the receptionist took a step towards Magnus and said, “She told us to that she will pay for however long you choose to stay.” Seeming to think over his words, he added, “She also told us to pass a message.”_

 

_Magnus’ curiosity peeked. “What was the message?”_

 

_The receptionist took a slip of post-it from his pocket and read, “Love, I hope you are better than you were when you left the room. My lawyer, Daniel, told me everything. Stay in the hotel as long as you want, I will pay. Goodbye.”_

 

_Magnus could feel the numbness and anger taking over him again and chose to silently walk into his room without looking at the pity on the receptionist’s face. He did not need pity right now. He just wanted everything to get better. He walked towards the bathroom to remove his wet clothes._

 

_As he was placing his clothes in the dryer, he felt something in the pocket of his coat and realized that it was the envelope and the note he had picked up from the street. He opened the soaking note and was relieved to see that its ink had not been ruined. He left the envelope and note on the bedside table and walked into the washroom to take a refreshing, warm shower._

 

_With the water cascading down his body, Magnus thought about the events of the past day. He had gone from a happy, loving boyfriend to a lonely, angry individual. His girlfriend had betrayed him in the worst manner possible and he had no one to turn to for support because she had driven all his friends away. He could feel his tears mixing with the water as his thoughts shifted to the stranger he had seen. This stranger, an unknown man, a man with the initials A.L., had given him hope to continue; to begin afresh; to fight back because he had all the possibilities in the world. The shadow of the stranger was burned in his mind and he could not seem to get rid of it. For reasons unknown, Magnus could not help but wonder about a man he had never met._

 

_As thoughts about the stranger and his note remained, Magnus vowed that he would attempt to drown his horrible past with this water, and his first step was to reconcile with the friends who had always wished the best for him._

 

Two days later…

 

_Magnus was starting to feel hopeless. He had searched everywhere and contacted everyone but no one had the knowledge of where his friends had went; no one even knew if they were alive._

 

_He could not help but think, ‘Camille, what did you do to them?’_

 

_As he started to get ready for bed after a long day of searching and questioning, someone knocked on his room door. Too tired to get up, he shouted, “Who is it?”_

 

_He heard whispers on the other side and caught the words ‘lazy’ and ‘idiot.’ Someone shouted form the other side in a sickeningly sweet, male voice, “Room service!”_

 

_Knowing that it wasn’t room service, Magnus got up to enquire and opened the door. The sight shocked him and he could not help the tears that sprung in his eyes. His friends, Ragnor and Catarina, stood before him wearing smiles that lit up his day and made him forget about the hardships he had recently suffered. He couldn’t believe that after all these days of trying to find them, they had come to him. He wanted to hug them and cry with joy but thoughts of the way he had treated them flit though his mind and he stopped himself._

 

_Without a word, he opens the door larger to let them in and continues to look on the ground in shame and regret. After a minute-long silence, Catarina says, “Oh look up, Magnus. We do not hate you.”_

 

_Ragnor murmurs in jest, “Although looking at the way you feel guilty, you would deserve our hatred.”_

 

_Magnus nodded his head and looked up, “You are right, Ragnor. I do deserve your hatred. What I did to you is unforgivable and I regret my actions.”_

 

_While Catarina shook her head, Ragnor stood up and walked towards Magnus, “Old friend,” he touched Magnus’s arm. “We knew that you loved her deeply and would have done anything to make her happy.”_

 

_Catarina walked to stand beside Ragnor, “Yes, we knew this. I regret not fighting harder.”_

 

_Magnus could not help the tears that escaped his eyes and whispered, “It’s not your fault. I was too blind in love to see what she was and what she had turned me into. I just wanted to make her happy.” His last words were followed with a sob. Catarina hugged Magnus fiercely. Maybe everything that had happened to him was his own fault._

 

_Catarina whispered into his ears, “I know what you are thinking. Don’t for a second think that any of this was your fault.”_

 

_“Your mistake was giving your heart to a horrid being like her, but it was her who took your company away and betrayed you. That was not your fault.”_

 

_Magnus shook his head. “Maybe that was not my fault, but I never fought for you. I could have stopped her from kicking you out from my house, my life, but I didn’t.”_

 

_Ragnor nodded in agreement, “No, you did not, and for that I have not forgiven you. Catarina may have forgiven you, but I have not. Yet, I know you. I know that man you are and understood why you did and what was going through your head. I do not blame you.”_

 

_With Ragnor’s words ringing in his ears, the words of his stranger flashed before his eyes, ‘… a future to create, a future that was all his and his to change.’ It did not take long for Magnus to decide that he had to prove to his friends that he was a changed man and would do anything for them to believe him once again._

 

_With determination in his eyes, he looked at his two friends who could see the change in his attitude. “You are right. I do not deserve what she gave me but I am guilty for not fighting back. From now on, “ I will do anything to prove to you that I am a changed, stronger, and trustworthy man who will never betray those closest to him.”_

 

_He could see that his words had satisfied his two friends and moved forward to give them both a hug. This was the start of a future that he was determined to create and he would go to the moon and back to make sure that everything worked the way he wanted it to._

 

Now, after 6 months, Magnus had met his promise to his friends and himself. He had proven that he as a reliable friend and a stronger being by creating a new business. He named his business Trst Ind. as a tribute to his fans and followers who had shown undeniable support in the past months.

 

After news got out that Camille Belcourt, Magnus Bane’s girlfriend had taken over his company and has renamed it as Camille Enterprises, his fans and sponsors had boycotted the company. Their undeniable faith and love for him was obvious in the loving mails, emails, and messages he received. Despite the occasional negative comments from the supporters of Camille’s company, his fans trusted him and his sponsors were willing to pay for any of his fresh endeavours to start a business.

 

Magnus had initial reservations regarding his future in business and fashion; however, Catarina and Ragnor had encouraged him to have faith and believe in the words of his supporters and sponsors. When he expressed his worries regarding Camille destroying his next business, Catarina reminded him that business was a field of chance and the skill of improvisation, even though she had received the former, she did not have the latter skill. With the help of his sponsors and the love of his fans, he built his company, Trst Ind., which had been running successfully.

 

Despite initial hiccups, such as issues in buying a building and land for his company, Magnus had faced these obstacles head-on and with determination. For the first few months, he designed each piece of clothing by hand in Catarina’s house, despite the relatively lower quality, his products had been a hit. His inbox was flooding with emails of compliments and requests to make a new piece of clothing. Finally, after earning enough money, Magnus was able to buy a building on 5th Avenue, a location much better than the one he had previously.

 

With everything working out, Magnus could not help but smile. _His stranger had given him the courage and he paved his own path with that faith in him._

 

So, with everything going well, Magnus had not heard from Camille after that fateful day, and he was grateful. However, this morning he received a message from her stating ‘Meet me in the library at 3. I need to show you something,’ and even though Magnus knew that she was up to no good, he could not help his curiosity.

 

* * *

 

With two minutes left to 3, Magnus was on the edge of his seat. To distract himself from what was about to happen, Magnus got up from his seat abruptly, ignored the looks of worry that his blue friend cast him, and walked to the area of books on fashion.

 

As he walked past a set of books regarding men’s fashion, he heard two people arguing while a third person snickered beside them. Magnus could not see the trio because they were on the other side of the shelf but he could hear their whispered conversation.

 

The girl was saying, “Okay, big brother. We get it! You did not want to come to this area but I have brought you here so deal with it.”

 

One of the guys replied, “Why do you want to get a book? My clothes are perfectly good.”

 

Magnus heard someone snicker and guessed that it was the other guy with the siblings.

 

“You always only wear black clothes. I may not be able to drag you to any malls or shops to buy you clothes but I can bring you to your favorite place, the library, and make you look at some fashion books and magazines so that you can put your fashion sense in perspective.”

 

The brother replied, “I don’t care about my fashion sense, Izzy!”

 

_So the sister’s name is Izzy. Feel like I have heard that name before._

 

However, he was interrupted from eavesdropping by someone calling out his name from behind.

 

A sickly sweet voice called him, “Magnus!”

 

Magnus turned to see Camille hanging on the arms of a mysterious man. “Camille,” he greeted with a steely edge in his voice.

 

“Oh my! I am so sorry! How long have you been waiting here?”

 

Instead of explaining that he had not been waiting for her, rather he had been eavesdropping, he chose to keep it simple, “Not long.”

 

“Well, meet Lorenzo, my fiancée.” With surprise and pride, Magnus realized that he did not feel anything. He had always been worried that meeting Camille may bring past emotions of love and care, but nothing of that sort happened. Magnus could not be less bothered that she had moved on from him.

 

He shook hands with Lorenzo and said, “Congratulations, sort of.” Lorenzo shook his hand and smiled at him.

 

“Nice meeting you, Magnus. Heard much about you.” Magnus smiled politely in the hopes that they would leave him alone. He wanted to see the trio before they left.

 

“Well, Camille, if this is what you wanted to meet about, It has been nice.” He took a step away from them. “Goodbye.”

 

Camille was shocked that Magnus had not given her a single glance and was furious that he had completely disregarded her.

 

“Wait, Magnus. I have a gift for you,” she smiled slyly as she handed him legal papers. “You may want to read these legal papers.”

 

Magnus turned around to face her and casually asked, “Legal papers?” When she nodded her head, “Well, you may send those to my lawyer. Goodbye Camille.”

 

With that farewell, Magnus left Camille fuming, reached the end of the isle, and peaked to see if the trio were still there. He was glad to see that they hadn’t left and were rather looking for a a good book. _Let me help them._ Picking up a book that Magnus believed was one of the best books on men’s fashion, he walked towards the trio whose backs were faced towards him.

 

He went up behind them and said, “Personally, I think that this book would really help you out, handsome.”

 

As the trio turned around, he heard the sister, Izzy, gasp and the other man, whose name he still did not know, look at him in confusion. However, he only had eyes for the tallest of the three.

 

When their eyes met, Magnus couldn’t help the vague feeling of familiarity and a flash of recognition passed in the stranger’s eyes and Magnus thought ‘ _He knows me from somewhere. But where?”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed!


	4. Found in the Library (Part 2)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alec finally meets his stranger.

Alexander Lightwood was bored.

 

He had been working on the same chapter for the past 4 hours because his boss was not satisfied. Everyone in this office lived to impress the boss. While his colleagues fawned over their boss and perceived him as the most compassionate and caring person, Alec saw him as a materialistic and idiotic person.

He had been working in B. Publications for five months and had never seen his boss make a single informed decision on his own. Despite his complete incapability to behave like a boss, people had instantly fallen in love with him because of his looks and seemingly sweet behavior. However, Alexander knew that his boss was a charlatan because he had never graduated college and hadn’t received any degree that made him deserving of the opportunity that he had been granted.

However, Alec had to hide his reservations and behave respectfully to a fraud due to his position as a junior publicist and editor. Soon after joining the company, Alec had understood that people had to, even if they did not want to, listen and obey people because of the professional hierarchy that inhibited multiple new employees. Sometimes, Alec dared to think that it would have been better to not have accepted this publication’s job offer. Alec could still recall the day that he had received the phone call that had changed his life.

 

_“Hello, is this Mr. Alexander?”_

_“Yes. May I know who is speaking?” Alec inquired._

_“I am speaking from B. Publications. You recently submitted a profile to us, did you not?”_

_“Yes, I did.”_

_“Great. So we would like to inform you that you have been selected for a job as a junior editor and publicist.”_

_“What?” Alec reeled. He could not believe that he had been finally accepted._

_“You have been offered a job as a junior employee. Would you like to join us?”_

_“Yes!” Alec nearly screamed into the phone. “When can I join?”_

_“Would it be possible for you to join us from this Monday?”_

_“Sure!”_

_“We look forward to meeting you, Mr. Alexander. Just call for Raphael at the reception. He will assist you during your first day.”_

 

Alec had been on the ninth cloud that day. _I have finally gotten a job_. Izzy had not been able to contain her happiness and pride for her elder brother, while Jace had given him a pat in the back and reminded him that he had said that this new year would bring great things for him.

As days passed, Alec’s life had become stable. From being a freelancer, he had gotten a steady job and Izzy had received a job as an assistant in a fashion designing company. Both the siblings had settled down in their lives and were happy to show their parents that they could be something without the money and name of their parents. Max was also enjoying his first year in high school and was living peacefully with his parents, who refused to acknowledge the existence of their two older children.

Now, Alec sat on his chair editing the same chapter because his boss was _“not satisfied”_ by the author’s decision to use a darker and somber ton to describe the plot. His boss was a romantic; he followed his girlfriend/partner - _I can’t be bothered to know about his relationship status_ \- everywhere, followed all her orders, in personal and professional life. His partner, on the other hand, knew her job. She was infamous for her scandals, appreciated for her fashion sense, and hated for her personality. Yet people, including his sister, could not get enough of her tantrums and showbiz acts. In an attempt to learn from her fashion sense, Izzy had applied to her company and was accepted as a personal assistant. Due to her job, Izzy had found out a lot about her boss and was horrified to know that the woman, despite her informed fashion decisions, was selfish, greedy, and vain. So, it was no surprise to Alec, that so was his boss.

 

After four hours of being tortured by his boss for a useless task, Alec got up to bid farewell to his colleagues.

“Bye, Simon!” he called out to the one genuine friend he had met.

“Bye! See you tomorrow. Don’t stress about Lorenzo too much!” Alec chuckled at the last part and departed from the office with a small smile on his face.

 

As he walked past the library, he got a call from Jace.

“Hey!”

“Look up!” Jace whispered urgently.

As Alec looked around, he realized that he was standing beside the Library and looked up to see Izzy and Jace waving frantically at him to catch his attention. Alec was stunned to see them in a library.

“What are you guys doing in a library?”

“Izzy dragged me here. Just come up to the second floor,” Jace replied and cut the call.

 

Alec grudgingly started walking into the library. _Now don’t get me wrong. I love going to libraries and sitting there for hours reading books, but going with Jace and Izzy is never peaceful - it’s practically an invitation to never-ending chaos._

So as Alec walked on the staircase of the second floor, he thought of the section of books that are kept on that floor. _History, business… fashion!_ It hit Alec like a ton of bricks and he moved to turn around, unfortunately for him, Izzy had seen him and yelled his name in front of everyone.

 

“Alec!”

As Alec turned to face her, everyone looked up from their books to glare at his sister and him. _Best to just go to her._

“What, Izzy? Why are you here?”

His sister feigned innocence and smiled, “What are you talking about? It’s a library. I am her to read and borrow books.”

Alec chuckled lightly as Jace came around the corner holding books about women’s fashion. “Be honest, Izzy.”

“Can I not come to a library, Alec?” Izzy crossed her arms and glared at him.

Jace kept the books on a table nearby and said, “Just say she can do whatever she wants to, Alec. Her boss scolded her again.”

Alec turned to look at Izzy. Concerned, he asked, “What happened?”

Izzy shook her head. “The normal. Boasting about being the best and realizing that she has been beat by her own ex.”

Alec didn’t bother asking her more since he wasn’t interested and turned to move towards the history section.

Izzy grabbed his arm before he could move. “Where do you think you are going?”

Alec raised an eyebrow. “To get a book.”

Izzy shook her head. “No, you aren’t. You are going to sit down and tell us what happened in your day.”

Jace sat beside Alec and questioned, “Why don’t either of you ever ask how my day went?”

Izzy shushed him with, “No one cares.”

Jace frowned and turned away from Izzy. “Why do I even hang out with you people?”

Izzy shrugged and turned back to Alec, “So, what happened?”

“Nothing. The same usual. Lorenzo being a gutless idiot following his girlfriend’s every command.”

“Fiancé,” Izzy said.

“What?”

“They got engaged recently,” she informed him but Alec simply shrugged nonchalantly.

Jace chuckled at the exchange. “Both of you work for two different bosses who are engaged. You guys never leave each other alone.”

Alec frowned at Jace while Izzy slapped him in the back of his head. “Camille, despite her personality and attitude, is a good fashion designer and working for her will give me many opportunities to build my own business.”

Alec added on, “Not all of us are fortunate enough to inherit the family business.”

Jace shook his head in laughter. “I still say, Alec, leave that job and come work in the Herondale business. You even have a business degree!”

Alec stood up to get a book. “I don’t want to work for you, you idiot.”

 

Izzy and Jace stood up and followed Alec to the history section. In an attempt to change the topic from their futures (or lack thereof, as Jace worried) Izzy started talking about the Jace and Alec’s lack of fashion sense.

Jace whined in protest at Izzy’s first remark regarding his black jacket and jeans. “Oh come on, Iz. I look perfectly fine! Girls love this dark look.”

“Oh please, girls don’t like you for your fashion sense. For some reason, despite these hideous clothes you manage to make your face look handsome.”

Jace walked towards Izzy and slung his arm across her shoulder. “You think I look handsome?”

Izzy laughed in response. “You wish, buddy.”

As Izzy walked towards Alec, who had moved to the end of the isle, she heard Jace whisper, “I really don’t” and smiled.

“Stop making so much noise. This is a library!” Alec glared at the two of them as they walked closer.

“Sorry,” Jace whispered with hands held up as if surrendering.

“Come on, big brother,” Izzy whispered as she started pulling him towards the Fashion section. Alec tried to resist; however, it was a known fact that it was futile to disagree with Isabelle Lightwood once she made up her mind.

“Izzy, let go! I am not going there."

“Oh come on, Alec. You already knew why I called you here the minute you stepped on the second floor. So stop resisting.”

As Alec continued protesting, Izzy said in a deadly voice, “Okay, big brother. We get it! You did not want to come to this area but I have brought you here so deal with it.”

“Why do you want to get a book? My clothes are perfectly good.”

Jace snickered in response and Alec turned to glare at him.

Izzy smiled at Jace and said, “You always only wear black clothes. I may not be able to drag you to any malls or shops to buy you clothes but I can bring you to your favorite place, the library, and make you look at some fashion books and magazines so that you can put your fashion sense in perspective.”

Despite a small part of him agreeing with Izzy, he felt obligated to defend himself, “I don’t care about my fashion sense, Izzy!”

Izzy looked him up and down and smirked, “Clearly.”

Jace laughed in response but quieted down once he was subjected to the ‘Alec glare.’

“Just help me find a book and we will leave.”

“Fine!” Alec said and walked off to the history section and returned with a book about World War Two. “I found a book. Now, let’s go.”

Jace simply shook his head at Alec and Izzy hit Alec in the arm. “A book about men’s fashion, not chaos and death created by them.”

 

Alec returned the book to its original place and walked back to see Jace and Izzy searching for a book. However, as he walked towards them he felt a presence behind him and a voice said, “Personally, I think that this book would really help you out, handsome.”

 

As he turned around, he saw the confused look that Jace cast the man and heard Izzy gasp. When he met the eyes of the stranger, Alec was lost. In a second, the night of Christmas flashed before his eyes and he widened his eyes in realization.

_It’s him._


	5. Reality Check

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Camille has shown her true colors once again. What is Magnus going to do?

“Tomorrow, six o’clock in the café across the street?”

He gave a nervous smile and nodded. “Sure.”

Magnus heard the snicker of Izzy and Jace and smirked. “See you then.” He left with a wink directed towards Alexander.

As he turned and walked away, he heard Izzy and Jace laughing at Alexander’s nervous stammers. While Magnus was fond of men with strong personalities and high confidence, he was drawn to Alexander’s attitude, personality, body-shape, and _oh those blue eyes!_ Magnus was proud that he had managed to not jump on Alexander at the first glance.

When he approached the table, Catarina looked up and frowned when she saw the joy on Magnus’s face. “What made you so happy and why were you gone for so long?”

Ragnor responded without looking up from his book. “He probably went to meet the witch.”

Catarina turned a shocked on Magnus and asked, “You went to meet her?”

Horrified at the turn the conversation was taking, Magnus rushed to explain. “I got a text message from her that said that she wanted to meet in the library to discuss something.”

“I was wondering why you would willingly suggest to go to the library,” responded his blue friend.

“Well,” he shrugged. “Curiosity got the best of me.”

Ragnor placed his book down and looked at Magnus inquisitively. “So, what did she want?”

Magnus sat down and shrugged. “I have no idea. She wanted to give me some papers but I told her to give it to my lawyer. I didn’t want to touch anything given by her.”

Catarina stared at Magnus’s face searching for any lies or hidden truths. “That still does not explain why you looked so happy when you came back.”

“Oh that,” Magnus could feel his cheeks heating up. “I have a date tomorrow.”

Catarina shot up from her chair causing people to turn towards her with glares. “What’s wrong with you, you idiot? You decided to go on a date with, with HER?”

Magnus put a hand on her arm, placatingly. “Calm down, you are being too loud and disturbing everyone.”

Catarina shrugged off his hand but sat down. Ragnor looked at Magnus and said, “It’s not her, is it?”

Magnus looked towards Ragnor and turned back to Catarina to make sure that she heard him properly. “No, it’s not her. It’s actually a ‘him.’ I am very excited.”

Ragnor chuckled in amusement and shook his head. “That’s obvious. You went red when you mentioned the date.”

“You just met him?”

“Yes. I saw him in one of the aisles with his sister and friend. I couldn’t help but go and meet him. He is amazing!” Magnus grinned with excitement.

“Well,” Ragnor stood up and put a hand on Magnus’ shoulder. “While, I am happy for you, I have had enough of the stares and glares that we have been receiving. Let’s leave.”

“Sure.”

* * *

 

Magnus was nervous. It was obvious with his stuttering, with his fidgeting, and especially with his constant looks at the clock. As he sat at the table farthest away from the other customers, Magnus wondered if it would have been better to meet Alexander in a more sophisticated restaurant. There were too many people and that made Magnus nervous. Now, don’t mistake Magnus, he reveled in attention, but today he was nervous because he liked Alexander. He liked him very much and he hadn’t felt like that for a long time.

The first time he had met Camille, his heart had skipped a beat, but meeting Alexander was like feeling time stop; his heart did not _skip_ a beat, it stopped beating altogether. It was hard to explain his feelings with word, it was something that had to be experienced. Catarina had smiled with joy and pride when he had explained his first meeting with Alexander, while Ragnor had shook his head and simply said, “Be careful this time.” Magnus understood that Ragnor was concerned about his choices but Magnus knew that there was no comparison between Alexander and Camille.

As he looked around the café, Magnus noticed some people staring at him and whispering. Without any doubt, he knew that they had recognized him but made no attempt to confirm their suspicions. _Better to leave them wondering than have Alexander’s name in tomorrow’s newspaper._ He smiled because he realized that Camille would have wanted exactly that, to make it in the newspaper, but Alexander did not seem like that person - he seemed like an honest and hard-working person who would rather be mentioned on the newspaper for his work than his partner’s.

While, it was safe to say that many of Magnus’s statements were simply assumptions about Alexander’s personality and Magnus was certainly no judge of character - _as proven from my previous relationship_ \- Magnus felt happy. With a smile on his face, Magnus was lost in his thoughts when he heard a _click_ and the bright light of a flash. He turned around and saw that the people who had been previously staring at him had taken a picture of him.

_People like these infuriate me. If you want to take a picture, then approach and ask for it. If you want to confirm my identity, approach and ask me. Don’t take pictures of me without my permission when it is none of your business. Nosy people._

About to get up to ask them to delete the photo, Magnus was happy to see Alexander enter the café with a gleeful look. However, the happiness vanished when Alexander looked around the café, noticed those nosy people, and walked towards them with a grimace that could have been mistaken for a small smile. While Alexander started talking towards them, Magnus sat on his chair comfortably and kept looking at Alexander. The person who took Magnus’ photo handed Alexander his phone, when Alexander realized whose photo he had taken his eyes widened and he looked up and waved at Magnus; Magnus only stared back. Alexander looked worried and turned back to the phone, Magnus noticed that when Alexander handed the man his phone back, he looked angry while the nosy person looked infuriated.

_Was his judgement about Alexander wrong? Was Ragnor right?_

 

With a wave at the group, Alexander left that crowd and walked towards Magnus.

“I am sorry,” Alexander said when he sat on the chair opposite to Magnus. “They are my colleagues.”

“Nosy colleagues,” Magnus whispered not intending for Alexander to hear. However, the grimace and shrug showed that he had heard Magnus.

“I know. They aren’t the best colleagues.”

Magnus picked up the glass of water and took a sip. “They showed you the picture they took of me?”

“Yes. I deleted it.”

Magnus almost choked on the drink. “What? You deleted it?”

Alexander looked nonplussed and said with a monotonous tone, “Obviously. What you do, who you meet is none of their business unless you want them to know. They had no right to take your picture like this.”

“Are they journalists?”

“They might as well be,” Alexander chuckled. “We all work in a publications company but it seems that they could not care less about the beauty of writing. They were only taking your pictures to show our boss.”

“Boss?”

As Alexander was about to explain, a waitress came to take their order. “What would you like to have, guys?”

Alexander smiled nervously and looked at Magnus. Magnus understood that Alexander had probably never come here and hadn’t had the chance to open the menu yet. “Could you please get me a glass of juice?”

The waitress turned towards Alexander who responded, “Same, please. Thank you.”

With a smile, the waitress turned to bring their order. Alexander opened the menu and skimmed the menu looking for something to eat while Magnus stared at him.

“Sorry,” Magnus said.

Alexander put the menu down looking confused. “For what?”

“That was a horrible date for our first date,” Magnus said while feeling slightly guilty.

Alexander blushed in response to Magnus’ honest statement. “I have nothing to compare it to. So it’s been pretty good.”

Magnus couldn’t help but chuckle at Alexander’s honesty and innocence. “Well, I am glad you think that. I hope to only make it better from this point on.”

The waitress came with their drinks and asked, “Anything to eat, boys?”

Magnus smiled when Alexander blushed in response and said, “I would like a chicken burger with fries.”

Alexander said, “I would like fish fingers and fries.”

Once the waitress left, Magnus turned towards Alec and asked, “So what do you do, Alexander?”

At the mention of his full name, Alexander frowned and said, “No one calls me that.”

“Calls you what? Alexander? Isn’t that your name?”

“It is, but only my parents called me that.”

Noticing that Alec said _called_ in past tense, Magnus asked, “Would you like me to call you Alec?”

After a second of thinking, Alec blushed and responded, “No, it’s fine. It sounds nice when you call me by my full name.”

This time Magnus swooned quite literally. He could feel himself melt into a puddle because of Alexander’s adorable personality.

“As you say,” Magnus smiled. “So, what do you do?”

“I am a junior publicist and editor.”

“That sounds interesting. So you read novels, edit them, suggest improvements to the author and so on?”

“That is what a editor is supposed to do, basically. However, my boss lets me do none of that.”

Magnus frowned, “Why is that?”

“He is an arrogant and brainless person. He does not take anyone else’s suggestions and listens to his senior who happens to be his fiancé.”

“Wow. That sounds terrible. What does the senior editor do?”

“Raphael tries to do his job but our boss is gaining a bad reputation because our boss personally wants to read and edit novels, which he has no idea how to do.”

Noticing Alexander’s tone going bitter, Magnus made a move to change the topic.

“Moving on, the people who were with you in the library were your sister and best friend, right? What do they do?”

“Izzy works as the assistant of a famous fashion designer and Jace owns the family company.”

Magnus perked at the mention of fashion designing. “Fashion designer? Who? You know, I am a fashion designer as well.”

Suddenly, Alexander looked nervous and started rubbing his hands together. “I do know that. My sister told me about you.” Magnus was starting to feel concerned about Alexander. “She actually works for Camille Belcourt.”

Then, Magnus understood Alexander’s hesitation and nervousness. He reached out to hold Alexander’s hands. “Seeing how nervous you were to tell me that, she also told you my history with Camille?"

Alexander nodded wordlessly.

“Do you have a problem with me having a history of relationships?”

Alexander shook his head.

Magnus smiled.

“Your sister is ambitious and certainly talented from what I heard in the library. Camille is the leading fashion designer in the nation. I admire your sister for following her dreams.”

Alec looked up at Magnus and gave him the brightest smile he had ever seen.

“However,” Magnus continued. “I know this is a date and is highly inappropriate to say this on a first date, but I would like to offer Isabelle a job. My company is a recent startup but I have gained popularity through my past credibilities and have been successful as of yet. I would like Isabelle to work as my senior art designer.”

And boy, Magnus knew that he would never regret the decision of offering Isabelle Lightwood a job in his company when Alexander smiled with glee and pride, and looked about ready to jump off his seat. Magnus understood that Alexander cared immensely for his younger sibling and would do anything for her.

Alexander chuckled as his cheeks grew red. He looked at Magnus who frowned in confusion. “What?”

Alexander shook his head in mirth, “I haven’t gone on dates before but I am pretty sure that job offers aren’t made during a date.” Magnus looked down with guilt and regret wishing that he had not done that. “I love it!”

Magnus looked up in shock and Alexander laughed it at his expression.

“I love my siblings and you just gave one of them an amazing job. This is a great date, Magnus.”

Magnus asked nervously, “So you are enjoying yourself?”

“I am,” Alexander nodded. “However, let’s refrain from mentioning other people now. How about that?”

Magnus chuckled and nodded in agreement. “Agreed.”

The rest of the evening passed in merriment and joy. Alexander had toleave first because his younger brother, Max, had come home and was urgently asking for Alexander. Regretfully, Alexander bid farewell to Magnus but he left with a promise to meet day after tomorrow. With that promise in mind, Magnus exited the café with a smile on his face and a single thought in his mind.

_He was right and Ragnor was not._

* * *

_2 weeks later_

Magnus was having a lazy day.

It was 2 PM on a Saturday and he was lying in bed after taking a bath. Alexander had called him 30 minutes ago saying that he would be arriving soon with Isabelle and Jace. Yet Magnus could not muster the strength to look presentable or decent. It had been a long week with his company reaching its highest export value; he had been happy to know that his customers remembered him and chose to buy his products over Camille’s. However, he could not deny that the past week had taken a toll on him with his company reaching new heights and his relationship with Alexander progressing. They were not officially in a relationship but Magnus knew that it wouldn’t be long before one of them asked the other one officially - he hoped that he could do it before Alexander.

As the doorbell rang, Magnus’s phone pinged with a message. Deciding to look at the message after opening the door, he walked out of his room, passed his cat, and opened to door. Isabelle rushed to hug him while Jace walked in with a simple nod. Alec stood at the entrance of the gate and once Isabelle let go of Magnus, he walked up and gave him a small peck on the lips.

“Hey,” Alec whispered.

“Hi,” Magnus responded with his eyes closed savoring the feel of Alec’s lips on his own.

“Long week, huh?” Alec asked with a raised eyebrow. “You were lying in bed, weren’t you?”

Magnus shrugged with a slightly guilty look. “It’s been tiring. I decided to rest till you guys came.”

Alec chuckled and walked in as Magnus shut the door behind him. “Izzy was excited to meet you. She had some gossip on The Witch.”

“I love the code names she assigns,” Magnus responded with a smile. “Very apt."

Alec walked towards the living room where Izzy and Jace were arguing about where to sit. Magnus’s cat, Chairman Meow, hopped down from the sofa and rubbed his head on Alexander’s leg as a sign of affection, and walked towards the bedroom for a nap.

“It still amazes me that he took a liking to you in the first meeting. He hardly warms up to anyone, forgot warming up to someone in the first meeting.”

“I am honored to be liked by Chairman Meow.”

Magnus chuckled, “You should be. I don’t date anyone that my cat doesn’t like.”

“So he liked Camille?”

Magnus frowned, “No, he didn’t. He actually hardly got out of the bedroom whenever she came around and hissed whenever she tried to pet him.” He grimaced at the memory, “I never picked up on that.”

Izzy chuckled from the living room, “Your cat has better taste than you Magnus.”

Magnus smiled and nodded in agreement, “Indeed.”

Jace snorted from beside Izzy, “Anyone has better taste than someone who decided to love The Witch.”

Izzy smacked him in the back while Alexander glared at him. “Ignore him, Magnus,” Izzy said. “I have gossip for you.”

Magnus sat down taking Alexander with him, “Do tell.”

“The Witch has been angsty for the past week. Apparently it has to do something about legal papers that she gave to you.”

Magnus frowned in confusion, “Legal papers?”

Isabelle nodded, “Papers that she gave to you but you told her to give it to your lawyers. She has not received any news regarding the proceedings of the papers and has not heard from you either. She went around scolding everyone today because she was agitated.”

Magnus tried to recall the mention of any papers but nothing came to his mind. He turned to look at Alexander, who was staring cautiously at him, and it came to him. Magnus remembered the day in the library when he she had given him some papers but he had instructed her to hand it to his lawyers.

“Oh, I remember,” he exclaimed. “It was the day we first met,” he said looking at Alexander. “She had given me some papers in the library but I had told her to give it to my lawyers because I did not want to interact with her in any manner.”

Alexander frowned in worry, “Do you know what they were about? It must have been important is she is so worried about it.”

Magnus shrugged, “I have no idea. I have not received any news from my lawyers either.” He got up to retrieve his phone from his room and widened his eyes in shock at the message he had received earlier. His phone slipped from his hand and cluttered to the floor. At the noise, Alexander, Isabelle, and Jace rushed into his room to see him standing in shock.

Alexander picked up the phone and read the message from his lawyer, Clary -

_Magnus, this is important. We received papers from Camille and we just finished its verification. It seems that the contract she made you sign 6 months ago had a clause that stated that she would own 50% of any and all companies that you would startup in the future. Unless you can prove that she has been involved in any illegal matters, there is no way that we can stop her from overtaking half of your company’s shares._

_I am sorry._

Alexander read the message three times to confirm its contents. As he scrolled, he realized that Magnus had received another message from an unknown number -

_Use the envelope that I gave you._

_-Daniel_


	6. Camille Strikes Again

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's time for Magnus and Alec to gear up! Camille strikes again!

_It’s him._

_It’s the stranger from the street._

Alec remembered him from the night of Christmas when he was walking alone on the streets, drenched and defeated. However, the man standing in front of him right now did not have a trace of the defeat and loss Alec had witnessed on his face that fateful night. He could recall how defeated the stranger looked as he walked the streets with slumped shoulders and tears running down his face mixing with the pouring rain. He could still remember writing a note, letting it flutter out of the window, and turning back to see the man with a smile on his face. It was then that he realized that he might have fallen in love with a complete stranger just because of his smile even during tremulous times.

Being pulled back to the present, Alec heard Izzy gasp from behind him and could practically feel Jace’s confusion. The stranger looked at him in confusion as if realizing that Alec knew him.

“Do I know you?,” he asked.

Alec shook his head. His voice refused to cooperate with him. Izzy, seeing that her brother was too shocked to speak, decided to help her brother out by walking beside him and saying, “You are Magnus Bane, right?”

Magnus nodded, “Yes. Have we met before?”

Izzy chuckled with amusement. “No, but people don’t have to meet famous people to know that they exist.” She brought her hand out to shake Magnus’s hand. “Isabelle. Big fan of your work, by the way.”

Magnus shook Izzy’s hand with a small smile on his face. Alec could feel himself blush when Magnus turned to look at him. “And you are?”

Alec opened his mouth and closed it. It seemed that he had forgotten his own name while looking at the beauty standing in front of him. Izzy nudged him in the ribs and he winced in pain, “Ouch.” Realizing that Magnus was staring at the pair in amusement, he shook his head and said, “Sorry, I am Alec.”

Magnus took his hand out for Alec to shake, “Hi Alec. I am Magnus.” After shaking Alec’s hand, he continued with his introduction. “It seems your sister knows quite a bit about fashion. I couldn’t help but overhear your conversation.”

Alec thought his eyes were deceiving him because he could have sworn that he saw Magnus’s cheeks go red but after a second, it seemed back to normal. Alec had no idea what to say to Magnus’s blatant and honest confession. However, this time, Jace came to his senses and said, “You sound like a stalker.”

Izzy hit his shoulder while Alec turned to glare at Jace - in response Jace shrugged and said, “It’s true.”

Magnus chuckled and ran his hand through his hair in nervousness, “I guess it is. I was just looking for a book when I heard you guys talking about which book to get for improving Alec, here’s, fashion choice.” Now it was Alec’s turn to blush and look down. Magnus realized that he embarrassed Alec and immediately rectified himself, “Not that there is anything wrong with it. Might I say, dear, you look extremely hot in what you are wearing.”

Alec didn’t realize that his cheeks could go any more red than it already had. Jace look at his best friend and smirked while Izzy chuckled at her elder brother’s embarrassment.

 

“I think you are embarrassing my dear brother, Mr. Bane.”

“Please, call me Magnus. Also, that was kind of the point.” He chuckled. “So, Alec, I assume your name is short for Alexander.”

Alec looked up when Magnus said his full name. “Yes but you can call me Alec.”

“Alexander is a beautiful name to be shortened to something so ordinary. I’d rather stick with Alexander.”

Izzy knew that her brother hated being called by his full name because that was how their parents addressed him. She was about to tell Magnus that her brother preferred to be called Alec when she was stunned into silence.

Alec stuttered, “Su - sure. You can call me that if you want. It’s rather long though.”

Magnus winked at Alec. “I like it like that.”

Jace guffawed while Alec shook his head in the hopes that his blush would go away. Izzy chuckled at Magnus’s upfront attitude and whispered to her brother, “He is here for a reason. Ask him.”

However, Magnus had heard her and responded, “Izzy, right?”

Izzy nodded, “Isabelle.”

“Well, Isabelle, I am here for a reason. I was hoping to ask your brother out on a date tomorrow if he is free.”

Alec looked at Magnus in shock while Izzy smiled with glee and Jace clapped Alec’s shoulder with pride.

“What?” Alec asked stunned.

Izzy jumped in before Alec could do or say anything stupid. “Of course he is free!”

Magnus looked at Alec for confirmation who simply nodded in agreement with his sister. “Tomorrow, six o’clock in the café across the street?”

Alec could feel his nerves gaining control over his confidence but managed to squeak out with a nod, “Sure.”

Izzy and Jace snickered at him while Magnus smiled, “See you then.” He winked at Alec and left.

Alec remained rooted at the spot while Izzy hugged him fiercely and Jace whispered, “Good going, man! Your first date!”

Alec was hyperventilating. _What am I going to do? I have never been on a date. I am going to screw this up so bad. He’ll hate me and then he will wish that we had never met._

Alec replied, “I need to tell him no. I have never been on a date before! I can’t do this.”

Izzy held his wrist before he could move to follow his stranger, Magnus. “You will do no such thing, dear brother. We, as in Jace and I, well mostly me, will prepare you for this date. I mean, Magnus Bane just asked you out on a date in a library! That’s awesome.

Jace and Alec shared a confused glance, “Who is he?”

Izzy looked at the two of them in horror, “How do the two of you not know who he is? I have spoken about him so many times.” Jace and Alec simply shook their heads at no recollection. “Remember, I mentioned that Camille stole her ex-boyfriend’s company who is growing more powerful with his new company which is completely pissing her off?”

Jace and Alec nodded their heads. “Well, Magnus Bane is the ex-boyfriend.”

Alec was shocked at the revelation, “This happened during Christmas, right?”

Izzy nodded, “Around that time. We don’t know the exact date but when the Christmas break finished, the news was all over the place that Magnus Bane had been cheated on by ex who not only had been having affairs but had also stolen his company.”

Alec frowned, “So why do you work for her? Why does anyone buy anything from her company if she is just a deceitful woman?”

Izzy sighed with resignation, “Despite her personality, she is a great fashion designer. She knows how to sell to people and she sells good products.”

 

Jace looked between Izzy and Alec and chuckled. With a smirk he said, “Wow. Your lives are going to get seriously complicated now.”

He proceeded to walk out of the library.

 

* * *

“You are so adorable.”

Alec turned away from the closet to face Izzy. “What?”

“If I didn’t already know that this was your first date,” she said walking to him and pushing him out of the way. “I would have known by the nervous wreck you are right now.”

Jace chuckled in agreement and said, “I know right. He has been looking for something to wear for the past,” he checked his watch, “24 minutes.”

Alec looked away in embarrassment and could feel his face heating up. “Look Izzy,” Jace exclaimed. “His ears are blood red.”

_I am going to kill him._ Before Alec could make good on his promise, Izzy laughed loudly. “Don’t try killing him, brother. He’ll come and haunt us both.” Jace chuckled in agreement but took a step away from his best friend for precaution.

She looked at the closet and sighed, “Your dressing style is truly hopeless.” She looked at her brother’s face and seeing the nervousness, she sighed with determination. “Although, I can help. Move out of the way, boys.”

Alec smiled and moved to stand beside Jace. His hands could not stop shaking from the excitement coursing through his veins. Jace snuck a glance at his best friend and smiled at his nervousness; he prayed that if there is a God somewhere that he keep his best friends happy because they had already suffered too much from the hands of their own parents. They had suffered through criticism, insults, threats, and hatred that they did not deserve, while all he could do was provide his shoulders for them to lean on.

“Yes!” Izzy exclaimed. Alec and Jace looked up in surprise, both lost in their own thoughts. “Found the perfect outfit for you to wear, Alec.”

She held the outfit up high for both of them to see. It was a simple blue jeans with a plain gray t-shirt and a black jacket that complimented the entire outfit. Alec sighed with relief. “Thanks, Izzy. I owe you.”

Izzy tsked, “Brother, you owe me a lot.”

Alec shook his head in amusement and pushed his sister and best friend out of the room, “Go. I have to change and leave. I will be late if I don’t leave soon.”

Izzy and Jace bid their farewells to him as he exited the house with a huge grin on his face.

 

* * *

 

 

Exiting the restaurant, Alec could not get rid of the giddy feeling spreading over his body and could not remove the gleeful smile plastered on his face. _I probably look crazy - smiling and walking alone._ Yet, he could not muster the strength to remove the adrenaline coursing through his body making him feel like he was on top of the world. As he entered his flat, he was thinking of words that could describe how the date went to Izzy and Jace. _Nice? Nope, too simple. Amazing? Makes me sound like a teenager. Awesome? I sound like a kid who got his favorite toy. Exhilarating? Sounds mature._ It is ironic, he thought, how words were failing a journalist. As he looked up expecting to see his sibling staring at him with excitement, he was greeted with looks of worry from Izzy, Jace, and Max.

“What happened?”

Izzy rushed forward to hug Alec, “I am guessing you enjoyed your date?” She gave Alec a small smile.

Alec hugged Izzy back, “What happened, Izzy?” he stressed.

“Our parents proved that they are followers of Satan once again.”

“Izzy!” Alec exclaimed. “What happened?” He looked at Max, “Max, what happened? Why are you here? Why did you call me urgently?”

Max walked towards Alec and sighed, “I am sorry for calling you urgently. I know you were having a good time.”

Alec was beyond exasperated at this point. “You know that I would give anything up for you guys. My date ended well, I had a good time, but you can call me anytime you want, Max.” He crouched at Max’s height, “In between a meeting, date, or anything else,” he hugged Max, “you can call me whenever you need to.”

Max hugged Alec back as tears poured down his cheeks onto Alec’s shoulder. Alec could feel his eyes watering at the thought of his younger brother crying but he had to find out what had made his younger brother upset. He wiped his tears and looked at everyone. “Will anyone tell me what is happening?”

Jace reluctantly walked forwards, “Your parents found out that you went on a date with Magnus, they are blackmailing you using Max.” Jace shook his head in disgust at what Robert and Maryse Lightwood were doing.

Max wiped his tears and let go of Alec, “They are saying that they want you to introduce them to Magnus for a company deal and if you refuse, they will stop paying for my education, housing, clothing - basically everything.”

Alec was furious. He could not believe that after the way that his parents treated Izzy and himself, that they would stoop so low to use their youngest child’s future as leverage. However, in the midst of his hatred, Alec could feel helplessness crawling in his mind. _How can I possibly let them ruin Max’s future but how can I betray Magnus?_

From criticising his work ethic to blaming him for his sexual orientation, his parents had never failed to make Alec feel worthless. Despite the torture they had inflicted on him, he hoped to rebuild the relationship between them and put all differences aside. However, after so long still, his parents had not changed - they would always be Maryse and Robert Lightwood, business associates and CEO of Lightwood Inc., they would never be their ‘Mom’ and ‘Dad.’

 

Jace watched as his best friend battled between his love for his family and his moral code that would not allow him to betray Magnus. Ever since they were kicked out by their parents, Jace had prayed that Alec and Izzy’s suffering would come to an end. They had refused to accept his help when their parents had kicked them out of the house but he had tried everything in his power to help them whenever they needed. _They need my help now. I can help them. None of them deserve to be treated this way._

Resolute, Jace put a hand on Alec’s shoulder, “I know you do not want my help, but this is not the time to be modest or honorable - this time you need to be smart, Alec. This is about your younger brother. Let me help.”

Alec looked at Jace searching for any doubts or qualms. He understood what Jace was suggesting and did not like the idea. However, he also understood that he was in no position to refuse any help. Realizing that his best friend was determined to help, he simply nodded his head and fiercely hugged Jace to show his gratitude.

Izzy and Max stared between the two in confusion, “What just happened?”

Jace shook his head in amusement at Izzy’s confusion. “Alec will not betray Magnus’s trust, but he will no longer be the puppet of Maryse and Robert Lightwood.”

“How?” Max queried.

“Simple, brother mine,” Jace bent down to look at Max. “You will live with your brother and sister, while I pay for your tuition.”

Alec gave a shaky smile to Izzy to confirm this plan. Izzy rushed to Jace and enveloped him in a hug. “Thank you so much. Alec and I will try to pay you back as soon as we can.”

Jace hit Izzy’s head, “I will stop talking to both of you if you even think of paying me back. I am simply returning the favor of when you guys helped me out of every sticky situation I have gotten myself into.” Alec laughed in response and gave Jace another hug. “It’s also for when you stood up for me when I lost my foster parents.” Jace’s eyes watered at the memory of his childhood.

He had grown up in a foster home with Mr. and Mrs. Wayland who loved and cherished him. He had met the Lightwoods while living with his foster parents; however, Maryse and Robert never liked him because of his background. Jace knew that the Waylands were not his birth parents but he had never asked them about his biological parents - for him, they were his parents. When he was twenty years old, his foster parents died in a car crash and Alec and Izzy had supported him through the tragic and tremulous time. Alec and Izzy had provided him a house to live in, a family to live with, and a friendship that motivated him to keep living for. A year after his foster parents’ death, Jace was contacted by his biological parents, Mr. and Mrs. Herondale. He found out that his parents had been struggling financially and could not handle the responsibility of a child because of which they gave Jace up for adoption. They had always been in contact with the Waylands to know how their son was doing, but were too ashamed to meet him. During the last 20 years they had built an empire in the hopes of bringing their son back to his family. When they had heard that the Waylands had passed away, they immediately wanted to contact Jace but had no idea where he had gone since they did not know about his contact with the Lightwoods. During this entire journey, Alec and Izzy Lightwood had never given up on him and he would be grateful to them for the rest of his life. So, now that his best friends were in trouble, Jace did not need a genius to tell him that he should step up and be the friend they deserve.

 

Izzy, Alec, and Max hugged Jace. Max screamed, “Group hug!” and everyone chuckled in response.

Alec smiled, _another problem solved with family._

 

Right then, Alec remembered something that happened during the date. He turned to Izzy. “Hey Iz, Magnus offered you a job.”

Izzy stared at him wide-eyed, “What?”

Alec nervously rubbed the back of his neck, “Sorry, I forgot about it. He told me to tell you that he is offering you a very good job in his company.”

Izzy smiled and said, “I would love to but I would like to receive a job from Magnus Bane, the fashion designer, for my work and capabilities not because he likes my brother.”

Alec smiled at Izzy proudly and nodded with understanding.

 

From that day, Max lived with Alec and Izzy while they worked hard to pay for Max’s tuition with the help of Jace.

* * *

 

 

_2 weeks later_

 

As Alec read the message from Daniel, he hugged Magnus and showed him the message. Magnus’s eyes opened wide and he rushed to his bedside table and picked up an envelope that was torn from the sides and looked like it had gone through hell and back.

Magnus whispered, “I never opened this before because I thought that Camille was the one who gave it to me.”

Alec walked towards Magnus and held his shoulder, “Open it. Maybe it could help us right now.”

Magnus nodded and tore open the envelope with shaking hands. Inside it were images of Camille meeting with various people, a recording device, and a legal document.

Looking at the pictures, Izzy asked, “Who are these people?”

Magnus took a sharp breath, “They are dealers who illegally sell items for a higher cost in third world countries.”

Alec muttered, “That’s obviously illegal. Maybe this could help us build a case against her.”

Jace, who had some knowledge in law since he was running a company, said, “It could but it would not substantiate for much because it doesn’t prove that she actually deals with them. Her lawyer could dismiss the case by saying that she did not who they were when she met them.”

Magnus, who had a low opinion of Jace, looked at him with wide eyes.

“What?” Jace asked. “I am smart even if I act otherwise. I mean, I do run a company” This caused Magnus, Alec, and Izzy to crack a smile.

 

Alec shuffled through the rest of the items picking up the contract. He handed the contract over to Jace, “Jace, read it.”

After a few minutes of reading its content, Jace loudly and smirked. He looked up at everyone and said, “This is great. Looks like Camille’s own lawyer hates her.”

Magnus stepped beside Jace, “What do you mean?”

“This contract basically states that all the companies and businesses that Camille owns will be owned by you, Magnus, if it is ever proven that Camille has engaged in any illegal businesses or matters.” He handed the contract over to Magnus, “So, not only will you save your own company by giving all these stuff to the court, you will also own your previous company and the publication company that Alec works in.”

“What?” asked Magnus. “You work in Camille’s company as well?”

Alec nodded in response, “I work in the publication company that she owns.”

“I thought you said your boss was a male.”

Izzy jumped in the conversation to clear any doubts or suspicions. “Camille’s fiancée, Lorenzo, is his boss. Camille does not personally run the business.” Magnus nodded in understanding.

“Basically, Camille’s lawyer, Daniel, made two document - one that she gave Magnus’s lawyers and the other that Daniel made her sign, probably without her realizing. Also, what’s the recording of?” Jace interrupted.

Magnus played the recording in front of everyone. The content shocked Magnus - he could not believe that he was listening to the voice of someone he used to love dearly.

_How did I not recognize the monster she was?_

 

Despite his reservations and feelings of betrayal, Magnus knew that he had to stop her before he destroyed his life once again. Just then, his eyes lit up and he smirked at his three guests. “I have a plan.”

* * *

 

After Magnus finished discussing his plan, Jace, Izzy, and Alec left to go home. The journey was filled with nerves and anxiety. Their plan was quite simple but it was nerve-wrecking because its success would change the life of Alec’s boyfriend/date. After being judged and treated poorly for his choices, Alec deserved to be loved and cared for - Izzy and Jace knew that they would not let anyone ruin this for him. During the journey back home, the three of them discussed how they would execute their plan to reveal Camille’s hideousness. While the plan was quite simple, its importance made everyone anxious. Slipping into their apartment, so as to not wake Max up, Alec, Jace, and Izzy unlocked the door silently and sat down on the couch.

Yawning, Alec stated, “We should all go to -” when he was interrupted by a loud ringing noise.

 

Rushing to pick the phone up before it woke his younger brother up, Alec hurriedly whispered into the phone, “Hello.”

He heard the nervous stammer of his friend from work, Simon. “Hey, Alec.”

Alec frowned in confusion, “Simon! Why are you calling me at this late hour?”

Simon continued to stutter nervously for the next 30 seconds when Alec decided that he would rather go to sleep. “Simon, I am tired. Can we talk tomorrow in office?”

That snapped Simon out of his nervous stuttering and he blurted, “You have been fired, Alec.”

It seemed that everything had frozen. _Is this happening again?_ Alec had been rejected multiple times at job interviews, but he had never been fired. Funnily enough, Alec had believed that being fired would hurt as much as being rejected after a job interview but the rejection after you have gotten the job hurt much more than before you do. Before he could think of an appropriate response to this sudden declaration, Izzy snatched the phone out of his hand.

“Hey Simon, what happened?” Izzy queried. “Whatever you said seems to have shocked Alec.”

While he could not hear what Simon was saying, he took a guess based on the anger growing in Izzy’s eyes.

“So that’s why he got fired?” she shrieked. “How dare that woman!”

Noticing that Izzy might wake Max up, he snatched the phone back and cut the call without uttering a word of farewell to Simon. _I’ll talk to him later._

“Izzy,” he admonished. “You’ll wake Max up.”

Ignoring his statement, she turned to face Alec and Jace. “Do you know why you got fired?”

Jace stood up, anger visible in his eyes and his stance which looked like he was ready to beat someone up. “Why?”

She turned to Alec, “Apparently some colleagues of yours had some photos of you and Magnus on a date. They were showing it to Simon and Raphael when his boss, Lorenzo, showed up and saw those photos. So, being the tattletale that he is, he went and told Camille about it and she told him to fire you.”

Usually, Alec tried being calm and patient. Years of being judged and criticised had taught Alec to not react on impulse. However, he could feel his temper rising.

 

_She will destroy anyone and anything related to Magnus. I am going to show her what it means to mess with the Lightwood siblings and the people they care about._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry guys for the delay! This chapter is the longest chapter of the entire story, so I hope you guys like it. Leave a comment!


	7. They Strike Back

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's time to bring Camille down

Magnus was tensed. For the past three weeks, he, with the help of Jace, Izzy, and Alec, was gathering evidence against Camille. Every other day for the past three weeks, Camillehad tried contacting him to confront him about the contract. However, he had managed to evade her by arranging conferences around the world, fixing dates with Alec, and even asking his employees to send Camille away whenever she entered the building. His anxiety had reached the peak level when Jace and his lawyer, Clary, had come back with papers from the dealers that Camille had been seen meeting. Now, it was Magnus’s turn to play his part in the plan.

 

* * *

_In the past three weeks_

 

Jace and Clary

 

Jace was walking to Magnus’s office the next day when he bumped into a woman walking out of the coffee shop next to Trst Ind. He was about to tell the person to be careful when he looked at her and read her name tag - Clary Fray.

Glad to have met Magnus’s lawyer, Jace smiled and said, “Hi. I am Jace Wayland. You are Clary Fray, Magnus’s lawyer, right?”

Confused and frightened, Clary responded, “Yes. Do I know you?”

“No,” Jace chuckled. “However, you soon will.” He winked at Clary and beckoned for her to keep walking. Clary hesitated but walked along since her office was along the way.

“I am actually Magnus’s friend. I am here to help him out regarding the whole Camille incident.”

Clary nodded in understanding. “I see. Magnus mentioned that you were coming today.”

Jace nodded and ushered her forwards, “Let’s not keep him waiting then.”

 

Jace called Magnus when he entered the building and was given an all-pass access into the building, Clary followed close behind guiding Jace to Magnus’s office.

Magnus nodded in acknowledgement when they entered the room. “I see you two know each other,” he smirked.

Clary, flustered, took a step away from Jace, “We just met outside, Magnus. It’s not like that.”

Jace chuckled and whispered to Magnus audible enough for Clary to hear him. “It’s exactly like that.”

Magnus chuckled but before Clary could say anything else, he motioned for them to sit. “So, Jace, did you tell Clary our plan?”

“No,” Jace shook his head. His eyes showed his determination, “thought it would be best for you to explain it.”

Magnus smiled at Jace’s reply and turned to Clary. “Clary, you know what Camille has done. However, we are not going to let her win.” He took out the envelope from his briefcase and showed its content to Clary. “I got this envelope from Camille’s lawyer 7 months ago when she first overtook my company. I didn’t open it till yesterday because I thought that it was given by Camille. In reality, however, this envelope has proof of Camille’s illegal activities.”

Clary, confused, asked, “Why would Camille’s lawyer give you evidence to destroy his own employer?”

Magnus nodded his head. “I was wondering the same thing, so I did some research and found out that Daniel Maxwood is the brother of Robert Maxwood, a member of the dealing group that illegally sold her products in third-world countries. Apparently, she was caught by a cop on the sight of the exchange and there was a shoot down between her and the cop. His brother, Robert, died in the crossfire - the bullet was Camille’s.”

Clary shook her head in sadness. “That’s horrible. That woman is truly evil. However, Robert Maxwood doesn’t seem like a saint either.”

Jace chuckled from the side, “True.”

Magnus coughed to regain Clary’s attention. He pushed the photos in front of Clary. “These are photos of people that Camille has met from the dealing group. Daniel was probably able to take these photos because he knew its members.” He stared at Clary with seriousness, “So, Clary, I need your help.”

Clary skimmed over the photos and stared back at Magnus with determination shining in her eyes. “Anything.” 

* * *

 

“Stop pushing me, idiot,” Clary hissed.

“I tripped, woman. Calm down,” Jace snapped snarkily.

“Okay. So how do we get them to talk?” Clary asked after stopping in front of the warehouse.

“We do what Magnus told us to do. These guys think that we are Camille’s employees. We play it cool and get information about their deals. Most importantly, we record the entire conversation. Got your recorder switched on?”

Clary patted her jeans pocket where the tip of a pen was sticking out. “Got the video camera on?” she asked.

Jace patted his shirt pocket that had a small camera on the cap. “Let’s go.”

As they walked into the warehouse, Clary could not help but praise Camille for her smartness. _No one would think that Camille Belcourt, the renowned fashion designer, would step foot in an abandoned warehouse that looks like it is about to break apart any second._ There were cobwebs lined at the top of the doorway giving it a haunted look - it did not help that they were here in the dead of night. There were broken machineries lying around the floor and at the center of the room Clary could make out the outline of 4 people. _They must be the dealers._

She nudged Jace and pointed in the direction of the outlines. “That must be them. Let’s go.” Without realizing, she grabbed Jace’s hand and pulled him along with her. Jace, stunned at the close contact, followed behind.

As they approached, the four men turned around and raised their eyebrows. The man to the far right took a step forward. As the moonlight landed on him, Clary shuddered in fright and took a step behind Jace. His face had a scar on the right side that stretched from his eyes to the side of his cheek. It was hard to look at his face without wincing.

“What does Camille want?” he asked. “We already delivered this month’s product,” he said as he ran his fingers along the length of the scar.

_Camille did this to him_. Jace smiled as he realized why this man kept on touching his scar. _I could use this for later._

“Her competing company is growing and is trying to find any leads on her that might reveal her dealings. She wants all the documents, bills, and anything else you might have that may prove her association with these dealings.”

The man chuckled without humor. “What makes her think that I will give away the only leverage I have over her just because another guy is trying to bite off more than he can chew.”

Jace took a menacing step towards the man. “Do you really want me to tell her that?” he whispered. “Remember the last time you did something that she did not like?” He glanced at the scar to make his point. He was really hoping that these men did not beat him up. _Just say anything that will give us a chance to prove that Camille is a liar._

Two of the other men came behind the leader and whispered, “Boss, just give it. She said that she would do worse if we didn’t listen to her next time.”

“Idiots,” the man replied. “I am not scared of her.” Before he could say the same to Jace and Clary, the last man stepped out of the shadows and under the moonlight.

This man was scarier than the first. His eyes were dark and sullen, his fists had scars all over them, and half of his face was hidden in the darkness but Jace could see a burn mark stretching from under the eyes into the darkness of his face. As Jace looked the man over, he realized that the man was holding a bag.

“We will give the documents, but, our names should not come into this.”

Clary gulped nervously and nodded in agreement while Jace chuckled, “You guys just go around carrying the documents wherever you go? That’s a horrible idea.” Then he paused to think and chuckled, “but it’s terribly convenient for us.”

“Jace,” Clary chided. “Let’s go.”

The man took out the documents and handed them to Clary. “You seem like a smart gal. Tell Camille to not cross us.”

Clary simply nodded and took the documents. Jace grabbed her arm and both of them turned around and slowly proceeded out of the warehouse. Jace kept a tight hold on Clary’s arm and kept glancing back at the four men; he realized that the scariest of them all had disappeared into the darkness again.

Jace reached their car and took out his phone. He glanced at Clary who was shaking with nervousness and brought her closer to his side while dialling Magnus’s number. Despite not gaining any valuable conversation, they had their hands on something much more valuable. “Magnus,” he whispered. “We got it.”

 

* * *

 

Magnus and Izzy

 

Once Jace and Clary had bought the papers to Magnus, it was time to execute the second phase of the plan. Albeit it took them 2 weeks to get the opportunity, Magnus was satisfied with the results.

“Magnus,” Izzy queried. “Are you sure she won’t find it suspicious?”

“No. She knows that we have to meet today at her house and she told me to go into the house if I reached before her.”

“Then why am I here?”

“You are her personal secretary. I will need your help once we get inside her house.”

Izzy glanced at Magnus as she drove the car. “Why?”

“You know her the best. I can get inside the house but the illegal money is probably in a safe, you are the only one who has any idea where it could be.”

Izzy nearly choked on her own saliva. “Magnus,” she exclaimed. “I have no idea she even had a safe, how would I know where she would keep it?”

Magnus turned towards Izzy. “You just need to think, Izzy. She probably let slip something that could help us.”

Izzy shook her head in denial but before she could respond, Camille’s house had come into view. “Our stop,” she mumbled.

“Let’s go.”

Izzy watched as Magnus opened Camille’s passcode locked house in one guess. “How did you know?”

“She told me her passcode yesterday,” he replied nonchalantly as he ushered her inside the house. He turned towards her with desperation clear in his eyes. “Izzy, think! Has she ever mentioned any safe? Anything that she might want to hide?”

Izzy felt like wringing her hair in frustration. “No, Magnus. I am sorry but she is very careful to not mention anything personal during work.”

Magnus shook his head in disappointment. He turned away and started searching cupboards and drawers while Izzy searched the rooms. Looking at the objects, antiques, and paintings that adorned Camille’s house, it was obvious that she took pride in her work and adventures. She had objects from all over the world and did not mind showing it off. Yet, Izzy was not able to locate the safe. Defeated she walked back to the drawing room to see Magnus’s progress where she found him holding a box with a somber look.

Magnus sighed with despair, “I remember this. I bought it for her when I had gone on a trip to India. The engravings are in Devnagri that state ‘We are eternal.’ She used to call the box Eternity.”

 

_Eternity_. Izzy gasped as she recollected a memory.

_“Lorenzo, put it in the kitchen shelf. Use Eternity to open the shelf.”_

 

“The kitchen,” Izzy gasped. Magnus frowned in confusion but Izzy simply ran to the kitchen and shouted, “Get the box with you.”

Magnus ran behind Izzy, shouting, “What just happened?”

Once Izzy reached the kitchen, she started opening every shelf to see for anything suspicious. While the kitchen was beautiful and clean, the cupboards were designed abnormally - there were alternating small and large shelves, however, the large shelves had just the same amount of space as the smaller ones. The other half of the larger shelves were simply for design.

“I remember her talking to Lorenzo over the phone about using Eternity to open a kitchen shelf.”

Magnus nodded in understanding and fervently searched through every shelf in the kitchen. Having spent 15 minutes searching though every shelf, Izzy and Magnus sighed in defeat and leaned against the counter. “Where could it be? She clearly said a kitchen shelf.”

Magnus shook his head feeling tired and defeated. “I have no idea.”

 

_Put it in the kitchen shelf. Put it in. IN._

Izzy jumped in excitement and opened all the shelves again, this time knocking on its sides. Magnus, too tired to speak, simply looked at her questioningly. Izzy searched three cupboards before she heard a hollow sound in the fourth one.

“Magnus, come! It’s this shelf. Try prying the side open.”

Magnus, confused and baffled, got up. “What are you talking about?”

Izzy turned to Magnus with excitement shining in her eyes. “She said put it in a shelf. I think she meant that literally. There is a hollow sound coming from this shelf’s side. I think that this is another shelf.”

Magnus walked up to Izzy and helped her pry open the side of the shelf hoping that they weren’t simply breaking it. However, after multiple tries, Magnus and Izzy’s combined strength was not enough to open the shelf.

Magnus looked at Izzy resigned, “Are you sure it’s here?”

 

_Use eternity to open the shelf._

 

“Yes,” Izzy said. “Bring the box and open it.”

Magnus walked towards the counter where he had left the box and opened it. Within the box, he saw a glass. Confused, he was about to touch it when Izzy screamed, “Don’t!”

Scared, Magnus nearly dropped the box at Izzy’s outburst. “Why? What happened?”

Izzy shook her head in exasperation at Magnus. “Have you never seen crime shows or read crime novels? This glass probably has Camille’s fingerprint.”

“What?” Magnus inquired. He looked closely at the glass in the box and was able to make out lines and an outline of a finger.

“Give it to me, Magnus,” Izzy sighed. She took out the glass, holding it from the sides and ran it across the side of the shelf hoping that there was a detector that would open the hidden door. As if hearing Izzy’s plea, a soft sound rang and the side swung indoors. Magnus and Izzy peered within the side and were shocked to see heaps of money. Just as Magnus was about to reach within, a loud noise rang throughout the house indicating that someone was about to enter. Panicked, Izzy placed the glass back in the box and told Magnus to keep the box back to its original place. She took a picture of the shelf and the money and closed the door as softly as possible. Then she closed all the shelf doors that the two of them had left open while their search, and took out a glass, poured water into it and went out.

Out in the drawing room, Izzy saw Magnus and Lorenzo having a staring contest. _Thank god it was Lorenzo, not Camille._ She went up to Magnus and offered him the glass of water.

“Here you go, Mr. Bane. Your drink.”

Then she turned around and feigned surprise at the sight of Lorenzo. “Lorenzo! What a surprise. I had just come in looking Ms. Belcourt when I saw Mr. Bane. He says that he was told to meet her here but unfortunately she isn’t here yet. Would you know where she is?”

Lorenzo looked at Izzy while staring at Magnus from the corner of his eyes. He smiled at Izzy and said, “She is on her way.”

Izzy nodded in understanding. “Well, I should take my leave. I had business to talk about with Ms. Belcourt but clearly she has guests.”

Lorenzo smiled at Izzy and waved at her. As Izzy opened the door to leave, she heard Magnus say, “I am leaving too. Tell Camille that she was late and I don’t have time to waste.” He walked away hitting Lorenzo on the way.

Izzy walked away knowing that Magnus will pick her up on the next street to avoid being spied on by Lorenzo. As she walked, she couldn’t help but remember Magnus’s reminiscing tone when he looked at the box and his rude behavior towards Lorenzo.

 

_Does Magnus still love Camille? Is Alec a rebound? Why would he do that to Alec? He seemed to really like Alec._

 

Thinking of her dear brother as a rebound made Izzy furious and she knew she had to talk to Magnus. When she saw Magnus’s car stop beside her, she quickly slipped inside, and they rode off towards Alec’s apartment.

Amidst the quiet, Izzy’s brain was enjoying a whirlpool of questions. Unable to keep her questions to herself any longer, she spoke, “Magnus.” He glanced towards her with a small smile indicating her to go on. Instead of beating around the bush, Izzy decided to jump straight to the point. “Do you still love Camille?”

Magnus nearly spun the car around in shock. “Why would you think that?” he exclaimed.

“You sounded sad when you looked at the box and your hostility towards Lorenzo also indicated that.”

Magnus sounded desperate when he said his next words. “Izzy, please don’t think like that. I have no feelings for Camille. I stopped having any when she betrayed me eight months ago. I sounded sad while looking at the box because it reminded me of a time when Camille was not, or at least I thought she wasn’t, a liar and cheat. My hostility towards Lorenzo was purely an act, well a bit might have been real because he fired Alec.” He started the car and looked at Izzy once more. “I really like your brother and Camille’s part in my life ended a long time ago.”

Izzy smiled in relief and relaxed into her seat. Her whirlpool of questions gone.

 

* * *

 

Magnus sighed with relief and joy as Alec walked towards him and gave him a soft peck on the lips. It felt like all the tension had evaporated from his body as soon as he looked at Alec. He saw Izzy smile at them and walk towards her room. He could understand why Izzy might have had her doubts regarding Camille but Magnus knew that Alec meant more to him than Camille ever did. His mind went into overdrive whenever Alexander was anywhere near him. It excited him, frightened him, but most of all it thrilled him to be with Alec. Simply cuddling with Alec made him feel like he was on cloud nine. As he stared into Alec’s eyes, he knew that after all of this was over, he would tell him how much Alec meant to him and ask him to be his boyfriend.

For now, though, he had to focus on the problem at hand. Alec noticed the change in Magnus’s demeanour and asked, “Did you guys find anything?”

Magnus shook his head with sorrow but Izzy came out of her room carrying her laptop. “Brother, dear,” she said endearingly. “You better get started on your biggest piece ever. It’s time we bring down Camille.”

“How? We didn’t get any substantial proof,” Magnus queried.

Izzy chuckled lightly and showed him a photo of the hidden shelf with the money. “I took a picture before I came out of the kitchen,” she said.

Magnus felt like jumping in glee when he realized that they had enough to bring Camille down. Looking at the joy on Magnus’s face, Alec smiled with affection and turned towards Izzy.

“Send me the picture. I will get started.”

He turned towards Magnus, kissed him on the lips, winked at him, and sashayed away from the two of them with Izzy’s laptop under his arm.

Magnus looked on as Alec walked into his room with pride and, maybe, just maybe, some lust.

_I need to stop thinking like that._ Magnus shook his head and chuckled.


	8. It's Payback Time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's payback time

Camille Belcourt, a renowned fashion designer, is known for her artistic designs and clothing lines. While some admire her talents, others disregard her for her careless attitude. It is no secret that Ms. Belcourt took over her previous lover’s company, Bane Enterprises, without a single glance at the heartbroken man; she betrayed his trust and dishonored his love for purely selfish reasons. Despite such a scandalous history, Ms Belcourt has won the hearts of many with her designs and confidence. However, she has hidden much about her illegal affairs that should open the eyes of the public and reveal her true nature.

It has come to light that Ms. Belcourt has secrets that could destroy her career and reputation. While everyone is aware that eight months ago, she stole her boyfriend’s company through trickery and manipulation, it is unknown how she expanded her business internationally in the span of a few months. From being an the girlfriend of Magnus Bane, the famous fashion designer and CEO, how did she become an infamous fashion designer?

With power in her hands, Camille Belcourt was tempted to expand her territory, and she did so via illegal methods. There have been sightings of Ms. Belcourt meeting with illegal dealers that sell products in third-world countries at higher costs. Photographs of her associations have been taken to further prove her guilt (attached at the end). Upon contacting these dealers, papers have been discovered that further prove her manipulation - fraud documents that state that the government has given Belcourt Enterprises to export internationally at higher costs; these papers are shown in other countries as proof of originality. The said papers have been submitted to the police and there will soon be a court hearing regarding the fraud committed by Camille Belcourt.

Along with conspiring against the citizens of third-world countries, Camille has stolen from her company for personal profit. There have been reports of missing money in the daily count of profits; however, Ms. Belcourt has thwarted these reports with her power and outreach. Images of large sums of money in her house have been procured (attached at the end), we hope to hear soon about a warrant to search Ms. Belcourt’s house and bank accounts.

People have been manipulated, cheated, and betrayed by Ms. Belcourt’s desire for power and money. It is time that she pays for the crimes she has committed against the people of her life and the countries of third-world countries.

* * *

 

“Mags,” Alec looks up from his laptop to see Magnus missing.

“Yes, sweetheart,” Magnus peeps his head from behind the kitchen door. His hands covered in chocolate.

Alec raises his eyes in suspicion, “What are you doing?”

Magnus looks at him innocently, “Nothing! Just preparing for the good times about to come.” Alec chuckles in response and turns back to his laptop.

**SEND**

“I sent you the article Mags,” he turns to look at Magnus and see that Magnus is staring at him with a quiet smile.

“What?”

Magnus shakes his head, “Nothing, you look very peaceful while writing. I noticed right now.”

Alec’s cheeks become a tinge of red and he lowers his head in embarrassment. Alec knew that he enjoyed writing but no one had ever told him that he looked peaceful while writing. It felt like an intimate compliment when Magnus pointed it out. Trying to remove the redness from his cheeks, he focussed on the task at hand.

“I sent you the article, just forward it to her.”

Magnus disappeared behind the door and came out with his hands clean but with an apron wrapped around his waist. Alec couldn’t help but wonder how it would feel to remove everything on his body. Realizing that his cheeks were heating up again, he turned away from Magnus and opened Magnus’s account and moved off the chair. With a few clicks, Magnus turned back towards Alec and held up the laptop for him to see.

* * *

 

To: [camillebel@yahoo.com](mailto:camillebel@yahoo.com)

Cc:

Subject: Warning

From: [magnusbane@gmail.com](mailto:magnusbane@gmail.com)

 

Dear Ms. Belcourt,

I hope you are doing well. After receiving your documents regarding your takeover my company, I have put together a small gift that shows my feelings and thoughts about your actions and nature. I have attached a document that displays aforementioned feelings.

 

DOCUMENT ATTACHED

 

Please be aware that if you do not leave us alone after giving back my previous company and your publication company over to me, we will post this article online and actually send the documents we have procured to the police. Rest assured, you will have to eventually give everything up. It is your decision if you wish to drag your reputation through mud or not.

It’s payback time, sweetheart.

Regards,

Magnus.

* * *

 

Alec couldn’t stop the grin spreading over his face. He turned to Magnus and held his hand.

“Payback time, indeed.”


	9. Found in Each Other

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's time to finish it all.

Camille was nervous.

She was tapping her 6-inch heel against the wooden floor, she was definitely nervous. Magnus smirked at that knowledge and turned to look at the man standing beside him. He nearly giggled at the expression on Alec’s face. Alec was staring intently at Camille worried that if he looked away, she would bolt out of the apartment door. Alec’s focus deterred when he felt Magnus staring at him, not wanting to look away from Camille in fear of her running away, he leaned towards Magnus and whispered, “Stop staring at me. I can’t concentrate.”

Magnus chuckled in response, “With the way you are staring, should I be jealous?”

The thought of being romantically involved with Camille stunned Alec, or maybe it the idea of liking any girl. He turned to Magnus with a shocked expression that described his astonishment and disgust at such a suggestion. Alec had thought of dating girls before he came out of the closet but he knew that it would never work. From the day he realized his sexual orientation, the thought of dating a girl vanished from his mind and the mere suggestion of it made him turn a deaf ear to the person speaking. Alec knew that Magnus was only joking but the thought of leaving him for a woman like Camille Belcourt, was repulsive and offensive.

Magnus guffawed at Alec’s expression and pecked him on the lips, “Just kidding, love.”

Alec blushed at the endearing term and turned to face Camille, who was looking at the two of them with a scornful look.

“Is this why you called me? To make me a third-wheeler?”

Alec smiled, “You aren’t even in the picture, Camille. Being a third-wheeler would be an honor for you.”

Magnus looked at Alec with pride and turned back to Camille. “You have read the email. You know that we have solid evidence against you that will incriminate you. So, for your sake, I hope that you are ready to give up all your rights or we can drag your reputation through the mud.”

He knew that it was a bold move to threaten a woman who had multiple business and was as sly and cunning as it came. However, he knew that this was one challenge that Camille Belcourt would not win.

Camille looked down at the table and pondered over her response. She looked up at Magnus, whose eyes dared her to challenge him, and asked, “How did you get those papers?”

“I - ” Magnus began responding, but a cough from behind stopped him. Jace, Clary, Izzy, and Simon stepped into the apartment with proud smiles on their faces.

“I believe you meant to begin with ‘We’, Magnus,” Jace said. Magnus glared at him for ruining the moment but continued, “We did some of our own investigations.”

Camille smirked at the expected response. “These documents would not be counted as evidence, then.”

Clary cleared her throat and stepped forward, “Actually,” she squared her shoulders and faced Camille. “They would be considered as evidence since the people you were dealing with gave it over to us willingly. We did not physically or mentally threaten or endanger them in any manner.”

Camille chuckled and shook her head. “Oh you poor girl, how would you prove that?”

Izzy came to Clary’s defense. “How would you prove us wrong, Ms. Belcourt? Your dealers are probably in the other half of the world by now. They will not come to your rescue.”

Jace walked over to Alec and put his hand on his shoulders to show his support. “You have no way out, Camille.”

 

Camille had always been cunning and sly. She took pride in those qualities. After all, what was the point of having these talents and not put them to any use? She had scammed many people but never anyone as well known as Magnus Bane. Magnus was her biggest and best scam ever. She could not believe that he had actually fallen in love with her, but she couldn’t complain either - that is how she managed to take over his company, after all. She had orchestrated their first meet and everything since then with only one goal - to scam Magnus and take his company. However, se could not deny, now that she was looking at the him with the man he loved, that there were moments between Magnus and her that she would remember for a long time. There were times that she had forgotten why she was truly with Magnus and had simply enjoyed being loved and cared for once. The day that she had made him sign the papers, a feeling had overtaken her for a brief second that she could not recognize; the feelings was so overbearing that she had almost changed her mind, and it scared her to death.

She realized now that the feeling was guilt. Guilt and regret had overcame her when she had betrayed the one man who had loved her selflessly. She knew that she was sly and cunning, those were the qualities that made people either hate her or attracted to her, but she had no idea when she had become cruel. She had looked herself in the mirror and thought that _cruelty suited her_ but she believed in fate and karma; she knew that her cruelty would be repaid to her for every second that she had caused pain to someone, anyone.

 

“Okay,” Camille stood up. She knew what she had to do, what she should do. “I will sign those papers and hand all my companies to you.”

She almost wanted to laugh at the shock on everyone’s faces when they registered her words. “What?” she asked. “Why are you guys so shocked?”

Magnus stood up to her height, a few inches taller, “What’s the catch, Camille? Why are you caving so easily?”

Alec held Magnus’s hand and stood up from his seat while the rest of the people surrounded the table, suspicion clear in their eyes.

Camille grinned with a hint of mischief in her eyes. She raised her hands, as if surrendering and said, “I know when I have been defeated. I will agree to your terms as long as you do not let the reason for this change get out into the public.”

Still suspicious of her intentions, Magnus turned to look at his friends. All of them gave him questioning and doubtful indications but when he looked at Alec, he knew what to do. The determination and care in his eyes told Magnus that Alec would stand by any decision he took.

So, he extended his hand to Camille, “Deal.”

* * *

 

When Magnus returned from the kitchen with a tray full of drinks, he was not surprised to see everyone slumped on the sofa, lying on top of each other with relieved looks on their faces.

Alec stood up as Magnus entered, took a few glasses, passed it to Clary and Simon while Magnus served the others.

“Phew,” Jace sighed. “I was expecting her to put up a fight.”

“I know,” Clary replied. “You have said that a million times by now.”

“I agree, though,” Izzy piped. “She isn’t the type to just lay down and let people walk all over her.”

“Maybe she understood that retaliating would cause her more damage, not us,” Clary suggested.

“Please, babe. I might not know Camille but she doesn’t seem like the one who would feel bad for her actions.”

“Babe?” Magnus questioned with raised eyebrows. Alec chuckled from the side and shrugged when Magnus turned to look at him.

Clary blushed in response but Jace put an arm around her and pulled her closer to his side. “Yes, babe. We started dating a few days ago.”

Izzy smirked knowingly at the couple as Clary’s blush became more prominent. “So that’s why we haven’t seen the two of you much.”

Even Jace looked down in embarrassment and Clary’s face heated up into the the color of a tomato. Alec chuckled at the lovebirds and wondered if that’s how Magnus and him looked when together.

_Looks like we are all settling down. Only Izzy left now._

He didn’t want to imagine his younger sister with anyone but knew that he could not, and would not, control her life.

“So Simon,” Izzy chimed. “You are kind of cute. What do you think?”

_Perhaps we are all settling in._ Alec could not help but chuckle at the thought.

 

No one had to look at Simon to know that his face had grown redder than Clary’s.


	10. Found Together

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Maybe happy endings do happen. Well, kinda.

“You know,” Magnus started when entered the room. “We haven’t officially declared that we are in a relationship.”

Alec froze. His hands hovered over his tie that he was tying and he started at Magnus through the mirror. Magnus was tempted to go up to Alec and wave his hand in front of his face, but before he could move, Alec turned to face him.

“After all we have been through, you mean to tell me that you are not my boyfriend?” There was a slight edge in Alec’s voice but the nervousness on his voice showed Magnus that if he didn’t respond thoughtfully, Alec would run out the apartment in embarrassment.

In an attempt to placate Alec, he walked up to him and held his cheek. Alec leaned in to his touch, closed his eyes, and sighed. “I was joking, Alexander. From our first date I have wanted to officially ask you to be my boyfriend but all of these issues happened.”

Alec nodded but kept his eyes closed. Magnus took that as a sign to continue.

“I already consider you my boyfriend. How about you?” he asked nervously. He could feel the urge to fidget his hand taking over.

Alec smiled and opened his eyes to look at Magnus. His eyes were filled with adoration and care.

_How could he ask such a question? Isn’t the answer obvious?_

“If my nervousness and initial reaction did not give you a clue, I also consider you my boyfriend.”

Magnus laughed in relief and said, “So to anyone who asks, I can say that we are in a relationship.”

Alec slipped his fingers into Magnus’s hand and nodded in agreement. “Yes, you can.”

 

* * *

 

 

Alec could not stop pacing.

Magnus watched in amusement as Alec paced the length of the room while fidgeting with his hands. Thinking that ten minutes is a long enough time for him to deal with the situation, he stood up in front of Alec.

“Babe, please stop pacing. It’s going to be fine. Everyone will be here.”

“I know, I know, Magnus,” Alec said, agitated. He ran his fingers through his hair in nervousness, which Magnus fixed. “It’s just that my parents have never willingly wanted to meet me since I left the house. So why did they ask for dinner?”

Magnus shrugged in response. “Perhaps they were missing their children.”

Alec laughed coldly at that statement and shook his head. “You have never met my parents, otherwise you would not have even thought something like that.”

“Okay, fine. From what you have told me your parents do seem cold and unfriendly but give them the benefit of doubt. After all, they are still you parents.”

 

_RING!_

 

“Come on, Izzy, Simon, Alec, Clary and Max must have come. Maybe they’l help calm you down.”

Oh, how wrong he had been. Izzy, Max, and Jace were just as nervous as Alec. They continued to hypothesize the possible scenarios that might occur during the dinner, all of which ended unpleasantly, and profusely apologized to the others in case any of those situation happened. Clary, Simon, and Magnus chose to stand back and let the siblings (and best friend) ponder till their parents came.

 

_RING!_

 

There was dead silence in the room.

No one moved a muscle. The pacing had stooped, the nervous chatters had ceased, and laughter had subdued. Magnus could feel that this dinner would be eventful.

Alec and Magnus decided to open the door and were surprised to see their guests smiling a toothy grin. Even though Magnus did not notice, Alec noticed when his father’s grin wavered at the sight of his son holding a man’s face.

_I have handled worse. If something big happens, then I will tell them to leave._

“Mr. And Mrs. Lightwood,” Magnus greeted. “Welcome. Please come in.”

“Thank you, Mr. Bane,” Maryse Lightwood, responded as she stepped in and hung her coat on the coat hanger.

“Alexander,” Robert Lightwood greeted.

Not knowing how to respond to such a hostile greeting, Alec decided to go with, “Mr. Lightwood.”

Magnus tightened his hold on Alec’s hand when he sensed the stiffness growing over Alec’s body.

“Please come in,” he said. “Everyone is waiting in the dining room.”

Alec followed behind his parents while Magnus led them into the room where everyone was waiting for them. Alec could not help the instinctive need to remove his siblings from the same room as his parents in case they decide to verbally lash out at them. He was used to their criticisms but his sister and brother did not deserve it.

Upon entering the room he watched as Izzy, Jace, and Max inched closer together when Maryse and Robert Lightwood sat in front of them at the table. Clary and Simon looked nervously at his parents realizing that Alec, Izzy, and Jace had not been exaggerating about their parents’ attitude towards people they did not like or approve of. Deciding to not let his parents ruin the night, Alec went and sat opposite to Magnus who was sitting beside his mother.

“Would you like to start eating or talk for some time?” Alec asked not letting their stare intimidate him.

Robert cleared his throat, “I would like to say something before we began our dinner.”

Max chuckled quietly and Alec heard him whisper, “Don’t you always.”

That made Alec crack a smile which went just as quickly when he realized that his father was looking at him.

“Alec,” he began. “Your mother and I owe you an apology for our behavior towards you.”

Maryse joined, “We were terrible to you. After you left, we began noticing the people around us and realized that our mentality was unappreciated in the society and we had behaved nothing short of cruel dictators towards you and your sister.”

“We cannot say that we did what we did to protect you because we all know that that would be a lie,” Robert said. “We were merely trying to protect our reputation in the belief that having an ‘abnormal’ child would destroy our credibility.”

Maryse piped in, “What we did not realize was that this belief was stereotypical and was the reason for the destruction of our credibility.”

“What?” Izzy asked. “What do you mean ‘the destruction of your credibility’?”

Maryse looked down at the table while Robert answered the question. “Somehow word got out of why you had left and our client began with reproaching us for our behavior but eventually they decided to take their work else well and since then the company has not been faring as well.”

Alec was surprised to realize that he was not feeling a trace of remorse or empathy for his parents. Being taught to be the perfect child, Alec was slightly uncomfortable with the knowledge that his parents’ hardships did not make him feel inclined to help them. Rather, he was unaffected. Magnus, realizing that what Alec was thinking about, leaned towards him and asked, “Should I offer to help them?”

Alec simply shook his head. “I am sorry to hear that.”

Maryse looked at Alec in surprise. She had heard Magnus’s query and was shocked to see Alec’s response. She had thought that he would have helped his parents. However, looking at how close her son was to his boyfriend and the friends that his children had made, she understood that she did not deserve any of their help. She had bought this upon herself. On the other hand, Robert was growing furious. Like his wife, he had witnessed the conversation between his son and lover. While he understood that he had been wrong to banish Alec and Izzy the way they did, and he felt especially ashamed of the way they had used Max, their youngest child, as leverage to get to Magnus Bane. However, even after apologizing, how dare Alec refuse to help them.

 

Fury in his eyes and tension in his body, Robert stood up abruptly causing the chair to skid and topple over. Everyone stood up in shock while Alec remained seated, a tight grip on Magnus’s hand, who had also stood up at the sudden action.

“How dare you, Alexander?” Alec looked up nonchalantly to acknowledge his father. “You dare not help us after all that we just said!”

Maryse looked helplessly at her husband and tried to make him stop. She knew that her husband would not be happy but she understood her son’s action. She just wanted her family to come back together. However, her husband cared more for his ego and would not allow anyone, even his own son, teach him a lesson. She had to stop him before he made everything worse.

To everyone’s surprise, Maryse spoke up in a quiet, deathly voice. “Stop now, Robert."

Robert turned to his wife in surprise. “You support them?” He asked furiously.

“Yes. After everything we have done, their actions are justified. Learn to adjust, Robert! For gods sake, Robert, your son has a boyfriend - meet him! Your daughter has bought a young man - introduce yourself! Do something fatherly for once!” Maryse was screaming by the end of her monologue.

Yet, despite her request, Robert refused to lay down. He shook his head and walked out of the apartment. Maryse looked at her husband’s retreating back sadly and walked around the table towards Alec, Izzy, and Max.

“I owe all three of you an apology,” she said as she took hold of their hands. “I wish your father would understand but his ego does not let him. Whatever I say or do will not make up for what I have done to you, especially you, Alec, but I will try.”

 

Alec could feel his eyes watering. He had dreamt of a day where his parents would accept him as himself and hug him, hold him, or simply just say, “I am proud of you.” He could not believe that his wish had come true. His mother had accepted him and had given him the love and care he had always yearned for. Even though his father would probably never come to accept him, his mother had made an effort and that made all the difference for him.

Impulsively, he hugged his mother as the tears rolled down his cheeks. Maryse hugged her son back fiercely as her other children joined the hug with Max screaming, “Group hug!”

Letting go, Maryse bid everyone her farewell and rushed behind Robert. Alec, Izzy, and Max stood waving at the door with smiles on their faces while the others looked happily among themselves.

Alec turned to look at Izzy and Max, and indicated for Magnus to come forward. He hugged his siblings while having a tight grip on Magnus’s hand.

_Everything will be better from now._


End file.
